#three kings

ADVENT CALENDAR DAY 16

This panel from a plexiglas lampshade, painted by Frank Snyder in the 1930s or 1940s, features an illustration of the Journey of the Wise Men. Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA, 11.OP.02.

Glencairn’s family Chapel has a floor lamp with a handcrafted, six-paneled lampshade depicting scenes from the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Each one of the illustrations is accompanied by a biblical quotation. In the panel pictured here, the Wise Men are depicted at night with their camels, following the Star of Bethlehem: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him’” (Matthew 2:1–2).

Raymond Pitcairn commissioned artist Francis (“Frank”) Eugene Snyder to design and create this lampshade in the 1930s or 1940s when Glencairn was being decorated. It is made from plexiglas panels, which Synder painted with oils. By using a variety of media, he was able to achieve the appearance and texture of stained glass when the light is turned on. 

Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on the home page of our Advent calendar (Follow the Star: A 2021 Advent Calendar). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow our social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr).

ADVENT CALENDAR DAY 13

Scene of the journey of the Wise Men, made by Winfred S. Hyatt around 1925. Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA, C37.

This scene shows the Wise Men gazing at the Star of Bethlehem; having seen the star in the East, they are now following it in order to find and worship the Christ Child (Gospel of Matthew 2:2).  

Winfred S. Hyatt made three Nativity scenes for the Raymond Pitcairn family during the 1920s; this scene is one of the three. Hyatt, the principal stained-glass artist and designer for Bryn Athyn Cathedral and later Glencairn, also made Nativity scenes for the Cathedral, the Harold Pitcairn family, and President and Mrs. Eisenhower. Hyatt modeled all the figures for the Pitcairn scenes, which were then cast in plaster, painted, and clothed.

Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on the home page of our Advent calendar (Follow the Star: A 2021 Advent Calendar). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow our social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr).

ADVENT CALENDAR DAY 12

Stained-glass panel with the Adoration of the Wise Men, made by Lawrence Saint around 1919. Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA, 03.SG.356.

This panel from a Christmas window features the Adoration of the Wise Men. It is part of a two-light, four-panel window designed by stained-glass artist Lawrence Saint around the year 1919. Here Mary holds Jesus on her lap while the Wise Men present the Christ Child with gifts of “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Gospel of Matthew 2:9–12). 

Lawrence Saint, who had his own stained-glass studio just down the road from Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Huntingdon Valley, worked as a glass artist for the Cathedral early in his career. He later became nationally recognized for his stained-glass work on the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. This Christmas window was originally located in Bryn Athyn Cathedral, but was later placed in storage, where it remained until it was rediscovered in the late 1980s.

Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on the home page of our Advent calendar (Follow the Star: A 2021 Advent Calendar). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow our social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr).

Bisa Butler, Three Kings (close up for detail), 2018 (quilted and appliquéd cotton, wool and chiffon)

***$5-and-up patrons can download this wallpaper at patreon.com/posts/61838730

Ruth, one of my wonderful patrons at Patreon.com/Tomics, suggested that I do a wallpaper based on the Three Kings/Wise-Men/Magi, and Hanby Sykes, ANOTHER wonderful patron, delivered the glorious “Magi: The Gathering” title.  I’ve only played the card game a few times, but the title was too good to resist.  Thanks to both of you for the suggestion!

JOKE-OGRAPHY:
1.  The Three Magi are the wise men who brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh after His birth.  "Magic: The Gathering" is a trading card game.  Based on Hanby Sykes’ suggestion, I removed the C from “Magic”, making it “MAGI: The Gathering”, as if the Three Magi were avid designers of what would undoubtedly be a bestselling children’s card game.
2.  Since I’m not really an MTG player, a good pal of mine helped me come up with card effects for each gift, but ultimately we went the full-art route (cards with minimal text) so those effects have gone unused.  He also suggested cardconjurer.com to design the cards, which was awesome to use, and he suggested basing their designs off of the Mox gem cards with the gifts resting in hands.  I made the cost of each card 0, since they’re gifts (haha get it) but originally I was going to have the gold cost a white (because gold represents kingship, and in MTG, white is connected to order), the frankincense cost a blue (because frankincense represents priesthood, and in MTG, blue is connected to intellect and prophecy), and the myrrh would cost a black (because myrrh is a burial oil that represents mortality, and in MTG, black is connected to death).  How’s that for some behind-the-scenes trivia??

rennybu:

Commission for @jawsandbones of the 3 Kings of Scarabae

Adoration of the Magi, by Paolo Veronese, 1571

Gislebertus, Dream of the Magi, Autun Cathedral, 1125-1135

“Caspar. Caspar?”
“Yes…”
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Your arm. You’ve put your arm round me again. We talked about this before.”
“Yes, right. Sorry Balthazar.”