Circle of Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart), 'The Adoration of the Kings', early 16th century

In the centre panel of this small triptych, the Three Kings present their gifts to the infant Christ, who sits on his mother’s knee. This episode is recounted in the Christian Bible: ‘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’ (Matthew 2: 11).

Christian legend expanded this bare account, giving the kings individual identities and characteristics. Here, the oldest king, presumably Caspar, has placed his pot of gold on the floor to kneel before the Child, who reaches down to touch him under the chin. On either side, Melchior and Balthazar proffer ornate pots containing frankincense and myrrh.

There is no sign of the stable where Christ was supposed to have been born, although the man in red looking on from behind might be Joseph. Instead, we see a jumble of classicising architecture. The figures leaning out from the balcony above the arches on the right may be part of the kings’ retinue. The man in the blue hat holding the banner is pointing at the star that shines in the sky over the city on the left. In the background to the left are soldiers, and what appears to be a man being arrested.

In the right-hand panel is a representation of Pentecost, with the Holy Spirit descending to the Virgin Mary and the apostles in the form of a dove. The bird, surrounded by a golden halo, seems to have come down through an opening in the roof of the building where they are gathered. The Virgin, wearing her traditional blue and white, reads from an open book, apparently unaware of what is happening behind her. None of the apostles is easily recognisable. On her right, a young man can perhaps be identified as John the Evangelist by his youth and his blond curls. Most of the other apostles, including Matthias replacing Judas, react with astonishment to the sight of the descending dove. A small winged demon crouching on a pillar in the midst of the scene ignores the drama unfolding around him.

In the left-hand panel, the Virgin and Child appear to float in an almond-shaped glow of light. The Virgin is shown as the ‘woman clothed in the sun and with the moon under her feet’ (Book of Revelation 12). She hovers in the sky above a rocky landscape with a castle. A river winds to a town in the background.

This triptych was probably painted for private devotion in the early 1500s. We do not know who painted it, but elaborate costumes, fantastic architecture and steep perspectives were newly popular among artists working in the Low Countries at this time. The anonymous artist was clearly familiar with the work of Jan Gossaert, the main practitioner of this style. However, the modelling of the figures may also recall that of the van Coninxloo family, who were working in Brussels in the same period.