A dark-faced rider in a white turban and yellow cloak.
Bible in art · Matthew
The Magi Journeying (Les rois mages en voyage)
James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York
The Magi ride through a bare valley of pale, folded hills, like the desert landscapes Tissot sketched on his travels. The three come straight towards us on tall camels hung with tassels.
They wear white turbans and flowing yellow cloaks. Behind them a long caravan of servants, packhorses and camels winds back along the path and over the hills — Tissot made the visit a great journey.
From the text
- “they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them” (Matthew 2:9)
- When they saw the star, “they rejoiced with great delight” (Matthew 2:10)
The artist’s own
- Camels and a long caravan — the text gives no animals or servants
- Three Magi; Matthew does not give their number
Details
A turban
A rider
One of the three, his yellow cloak falling over the camel.
The caravan
Servants on horses and camels follow along the stony path.
Far behind
More riders come over the hill in a long line.
James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.30) · 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".