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| The Dream of the Magi From a Psalter English (Oxford), c. 1200-1225 London, British Library MS Royal 1 D. X, fol. 2v |
"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way."
Matthew 2:1-12
Gospel of the Epiphany
Most contemporary retellings of the Nativity story and most of the Nativity scenes with which we are familiar, whether in church or at home or in some public place, tend to show us a strange, forced image. We immediately see the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus in the crib. We see the ox and ass and the shepherds and their sheep. And there are angels too. But there are also the Three Wise Men or Magi. All are usually grouped together, even though it is obvious from the Gospels and from the arrangement of religious feast days within the season of Christmas that a considerable amount of time may have passed between the night of Christ's birth and the arrival of the mysterious strangers from the East.
Some churches do try to reinforce the idea of the passage of time by not introducing the Wise Men until the actual feast of the Epiphany. They do not place them in the crib area at Christmas itself, but at some far distance part of the church, gradually moving them nearer as more than a week passes between Christmas Day and Epiphany. Of course, in some years there is such a short time between the feast of Mary, Mother of God on January 1 and the Sunday of the Epiphany that the Wise Men figures arrive only to be removed a day or so later. (This year of 2026 is one such.)
Because of this squeezing of the story into a tiny time span there is often no time to focus on the story of the Wise Men, indeed there is barely enough time to realize that they are there. So, their story is, of necessity, stripped down to the most basic, their adoration of the Christ Child. Consequently, we have lost the story of their notice of the star, their journey following it, their visit to Jerusalem and meeting with Herod. In addition, we fail to notice the passage that ends their story in the Gospels, their dreams, in which an angel warns them (just as he also warns Joseph) that Herod means harm to them and to the Child, after which "they departed for their country by another way" (Matthew 2:12).
To my surprise, this lack of visual representation for this end of their story is not new, however. It had been a popular image for centuries during the Middle Ages, but seems to have disappeared entirely after about 1550 in both the Catholic and the Protestant countries of Europe. Why this should be is puzzling, considering the impeccable Biblical source. The only controversial element might be the presence of an angel, but other angels appear in other stories and those continued to be depicted in art. So far I have not found any rational explanation but will keep alert to possible answers.
The Dream of the Magi in Art
Medieval Period to 1200
I have not yet found any images of this passage from the earliest Christian eras. The earliest one I have found comes from the Carolingian court in 8th Century Europe. I appears on the end of the top of an ivory box that was decorated with images of the infancy of Jesus. The subject is depicted, as most of the subsequent images will be, as if seen from above. The three "kings" lie across the visual field. They are shown in varied poses that indicate sleep or interrupted sleep, wrapped up in their cloaks and wearing beehive crowns that are close to the headgear of the popes at the time. At their feet an angel, who is holding a staff topped with what might be a lily, makes a gesture of warning. That such a precious and delicate object has managed to survive nearly 1200 years is quite miraculous.
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| The Dream of the Magi From an Ivory Coffret Decorated with Scenes from the Infancy of Christ German (Metz), c. 870-880 Paris,Musée du Louvre, Département des Objets d'art du Moyen Age, de la Renaissance et des temps modernes |
At about the same time a very similar image was being painted for a Greek New Testament in Constantinople. The image has been quite abraided over time, but is still very legible.
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| The Dream of the Magi (far right) From the Orationes of Gregory Nazianzus Byzantine (Constantinople), c. 879-882 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Grec 510, fol. 137r detail |
In a few hundred years later the image recurs in an Italian manuscript. Here the oldest of the kings is the only one who seems to have a comfortable bed. The two younger men appear to be sleeping with little underneath them and nothing covering them either. This is emphasized by the artist, who shows the cross banded stockings covering their legs from angle to knee.
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Gospels of Matilda, Countess of Tuscany Italian (Tuscany), c. 1075-1099 New York, Morgan Library and Museum MS M 492, fol. 20vb |
At about the same time a Anglo-Saxon painter depicted the three, wrapped up in their cloaks, and lying on the ground, while an angel leans over them to declare the warning.
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Sacramentary of Robert of Jumieges English, 11th Century Rouen, Bibliotheque municipale MS 9, fol. 37r |
So far, all these Magi seem to have been lying on the ground, but a few decades later an English artist depicted the three men lying in a single bed, each wrapped in his own cloak, but with their heads resting on elaborately decorated pillows. Meanwhile, an angel, without a staff in hand, touches the arm of the nearest man and gestures to deliver his warning.
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Saint Albans Psalter (Psalter of Cristina of Markyate) English (Abbey of Saint Alban's), First Half of 12th Century Hildesheim, Dombibliothek Page 26 |
Around the year 1120 the sculptor Gislebertus created what is probably the best known and most influential image of the Dream of the Magi as a capital of a column at the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in the town of Autun. The three Magi lie together, covered by a single, amazing quilt. It appears to be circular and pleated or perhaps quilted in a linear pattern and has a deep decorative border. Each sleeping king is shown crowned and rests his head on a single pillow. Meanwhile, the angel hovers above them, with his left hand pointing to the star, while with a precise and extremely delicate gesture, he touches one finger to the uncovered hand of one of the Magi. It is a memorable image and the many variations on the theme in very different media suggest that it did not go unnoticed in the years after he produced it.
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| Gislebertus, The Dream of the Magi French, c. 1120-1130 Autun, Cathedral of Saint-Lazare |
Later Medieval Works to the End of the Thirteenth Century
Later medieval artists produced not only variations on the theme of the Autun capital, but other arrangements as well. In some the Magi lie together in one bed, in others they lie separately, in still others they sit, resting their heads on there hands. These appear predominantly in manuscripts but there are also images in stained glass and in sculpture.
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| The Story of the Magi From a Lectionary English (Canterbury), c. 1140 London, British Library MS Add. 37422, No. 1, f. 1 This image is a fragment of a full page detailing all parts of the Nativity story. This fragment contains the story of the Magi from their meeting with Herod, to their journey to Bethlehem, to adoring the Christ Child to their dream. The last two images are the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and Saint Joseph's Warning Dream to leave for Egypt. |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Window of the Life of Christ French, c. 1150 Chartres, Cathedral de Notre-Dame |
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| The Dream of the Magi French, c. 1170-1180 Arles, Church of Saint-Trophime, Facade |
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| The Adoration of the Child Jesus and the Dream of the Magi From the Canterbury Psalter English (Canterbury), c. 1176-1200 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 8846, fol. 4v.detail |
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| The Dream of the Magi From a Psalter English (Oxford), c. 1200-1225 London, British Library MS Arundel 157, fol. 14v |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Munich Golden Psalter English, c. 1200-1225 Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 835, fol. 23r Presumably this image and the one above it were produced in the same workshop at the same time for different patrons. |
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| The Dream of the Magi From Canterbury Cathedral English, Late 12th-Early 13th Century Canterbury, Cathedral of Christ the King |
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| The Magi Are Warned by an Angel French, 13th Century Laon, Cathedral of Notre-Dame |
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| The Magi Are Warned by an Angel and Go Home by Sea From the Speyer Book of Gospels German (Middle Rhein), c. 1220 Karlsruhe, Badische Landesbibliothek MS Cod. Bruchsal 1, Bl. fol. 11r |
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| The Dream of the Magi French, c. 1230-1240 Chartres, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chapel of Saint Piat |
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| The Dream of the Magi Right wing of an Altarpiece Italian, c. 1230 Alatri, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Psalter-Hours of Ghuiluys de Blisleux French (Arras), c. 1246-1260 New York, Morgan Library and Museum MS M 730, fol. 12r |
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| Coppa di Marcovaldo, The Dream of the Magi From the 13th Century Maesta Italian, Second Half of the 13th Century Moscow, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts |
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| The Dream of the Magi Byzantine, c. 1260-1275 Florence, Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Baptistery Marcovaldo was a Florentine, was he the creator or the copyist here? |
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| The Magi Meet Herod and Are Warned by an Angel From the Wenceslaus Psalter French (Paris), c. 1250-1260 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS Ludwig VIII 4, fol. 23r |
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| The Dream of the Magi From a Book of Gospels German (Mainz), c. 1260 Aschaffenburg, Hofbibliothek MS 13, fol. 19v |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Oscott Psalter English, c. 1265-1270 London, British Library MS Additional 50000, fol. 9v |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Holland Psalter French, c. 1270-1280 Cambridge (UK), Saint John's College, Old Library MS K. 26, fol. 9v |
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| The Dream of the Magi From a Psalter English (East Anglia), c. 14th Century Oxford, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, MS Gough Liturg. 8, fol. 22v |
Tiny Treasures
Sometimes, manuscript illuminators included tiny images of the dream of the Magi inside the spaces created by certain capital letters, predominantly the initial D from the phrase "Deus in adjutorium meum intende" which opens the prayers of the Hours. The images in these space are often amazingly detailed for their small size.
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| Atelier of the Master of the Life of Saint-Denis, The Dream of the Magi From a Missal French (Paris), c. 1240-1260 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 17319, fol. 41r |
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Psalter-Hours of Yolande de Soissons French (Amiens), c. 1280-1299 New York, Morgan Library and Museum MS M 729, fol. 276r |
These images are sometimes absolutely astonishing when viewed up close and are worth looking at as tiny jewels in pages that are already stunning for their beauty and detail. An example is shown below, where the tiny detail contained within the capital letter is only a small part of a page that holds three exquisite small masterpieces. Current advances in photography of the very small allow everyone to discover these little treasures.
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| Atelier of the Master of the Parement de Narbonne, The Dream of the Magi From the Tres belles heures de Notre-Dame French (Paris), c. 1380 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 3093, fol. 49v (detail) |
This is the page from which the image above comes. You can judge for yourself about the effort it took to create such a tiny but detailed image within the confines of a prayer book.
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| Atelier of the Master of the Parement de Narbonne, The Adoration of the Magi, The Dream of the Magi and the Magi Before Herod From the Tres belles heures de Notre-Dame French (Paris), c. 1380 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS NAL 3093, fol. 49v |
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| The Bedford Master and Workshop, The Dream of the Magi From a Book of Hours French (Paris), c. 1419-1437 New York, Morgan Library and Museum MS M 359, fol. 36r Although not a picture within a capital letter I am including this image here because of its small size. |
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| Berthold Furtmeyr, The Dream of the Magi From the Salzburg Missal German, c. 1475-1500 Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek MS Clm 15708, fol.63r |
The Late Middle Ages to 1500
During the first decade of the fourteenth century, the innovative sculptor Giovanni Pisano made two versions of the story of the Magi, one for the pulpit of the Church of Sant'Andrea in the town of Pistoia and the other for the pulpit of Pisa's Cathedral of the Assumption . In both of these spectacular feats of carving he included a visual telling of the dream of the Magi. The two very similar scenes are cut off from the rest of the story (which includes the story of the Adoration of the Magi and of their retinue) by the dominant figure of the angel who leans over their sleeping forms and wakens them with the commanding gesture to arise and go.
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| Giovanni Pisano, The Adoration and Dream of the Magi Italian, c. 1301 Pistoia, Church of Sant'Andrea |
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| Giovanni Pisano, Journey, Adoration and Dream of the Magi Italian, c. 1302-1311 Pisa, Cathedral of the Assumption |
Artists continued to produce pictures of the Dream of the Magi throughout the late Middle Ages, into the sixteenth century.
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| The Dream of the Magi From the Queen Mary Psalter English (London), c. 1310-1320 London, British Library MS Royal 2 B. VII, fol. 131v |
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| The Adoration of the Magi and the Dream of the Magi From the Taymouth Hours English (London), c. 1325-1350 London, British Library MS Yates Thompson 13, fol. 94v |
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| The Master of Death, The Dream of the Magi From the Histoire de la Bible et de l'Assomption de Notre Dame French (Paris), c. 1390-1400 New York, Morgan Library and Museum MS M 526, fol. 30v |
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| Gerhard Remisch, The Three Magi in Bed Visited by an Angel German, 16th Century London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
And then, suddenly, sometime between 1500 and 1600 it all seems to have come to an end. So far I have seen no image of the Dream of the Magi that dates from after about 1560, barring a few very modern ones that are clear reworkings of the Gislebertus capital. I find this strange because, although it is a somewhat unusual subject, it is very clearly Biblical, so presumably as acceptable to Protestants as to Catholics. Yet neither side of the religious divide appears to have explored it after the Reformation event.
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| Johann Sadeler After Gerard van Groeningen, The Dream of the Magi Flemish, c. 1585 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum An interesting quirk of this image is that, while it is indeed the event called the Dream of the Magi and there are three Magi present, each one is shown in a separate bed and being visited by three angels instead of one. The first is the old Magi, quite visible in the front plane on the right. The two younger men are depicted deeper into the pictorial space, with one in the center of the picture and the third very deep in the space on the upper left, glimpsed between two fluted columns. |
© M. Duffy, 2026
