John Duncan: Adoration of the Magi

John Duncan (1866-1945) was born in Dundee and studied at the Dundee School of Art from an early age. He was a great experimenter with techniques and much of his work is in tempera. His subject-matter was rooted in the Celtic Revival and the Pre-Raphaelite tradition, but there is a certain graphical quality which sets it apart from his contemporaries and likens it to Art Nouveau. While the subject matter is thoroughly Celtic Revival, he is generally referred to as a Symbolist.

The Adoration of the Magi is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, lay before him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and worship him. It is related in the Bible by Matthew 2:11: "On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path".

the above text appears on the back of the card
HC-1114: card size 7" x 5" (178mm x 127mm)