The Adoration of the Magi

The general composition of this picture shows similarities, in reverse, to that of the central figures in the centrepiece of Coeck's Altarpiece of the Adoration of the Magi (Church of St. Plechelmus, Oldenzaal). Coecke was an expert on architecture - van Mander described him as a bouwmeister as well as a schildermeister - wrote a book entitled Die inventie der Colommen..., and translated the works of Sebastiano Serlio into Flemish, High German and French. The architectural background of this picture is comparable to the elaborate classical architectural settings of many of his works.