The Adoration of the Magi (Brussels)

The three wise men bring their gifts to the infant Jesus, who is lying peacefully in Mary's arms. Joseph watches. To the right among the crowd are oriental-dressed people, perhaps belonging to the company of the sages. In the background are a few camels and even an elephant.

Armed soldiers stand in the crowd to the left. They may foreshadow the infanticide that king Herod was planning.

Pieter Bruegel made a few more paintings on the Adoration: in 1564 and in 1567. The attribution of this canvas to Bruegel is not undisputed.

The artist used a fine linen canvas, without applying an underlayer first. The tempera (water-based paint and egg yolk with pigments) was applied directly to the linen, a technique called glue-size. As a result, paint can also be seen on the back of the linen.