The Magi in the House of Herod (Les rois mages chez Hérode)

James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York

Here Herod receives the Magi in a dim room of his palace, with screens of carved lattice, a patterned carpet and a small table set with cups. Tissot gave the visitors long yellow-and-white cloaks and turbans.

The three sit side by side and explain with their hands; one has a long white beard. Herod, in a red cap and a jewelled robe, leans towards them with his hand at his chin, listening closely.

From the text

Herod calls the Magi secretly (Matthew 2:7)

He learns from them “the exact time the star had appeared” (Matthew 2:7)

The artist’s own

Cups on a little table, as for guests

Herod’s red cap and patterned robe

Details

The Magi

Three men in yellow-and-white cloaks sit side by side.

Herod

In a red cap, he leans forward with his hand at his chin.

The table

Small cups and a jug on a low round table.

James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.31) · Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper · Brooklyn Museum (Commons file page, «Permission»): "This image was uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum as a content partnership, and is considered to have no known copyright restrictions by the institutions of the Brooklyn Museum." — "No known copyright restrictions".