The sacrifice
Apart from this identification of the model for the Moorish king, there are several other peculiar things that catch our attention. The third wise man is kneeling on a cushion in the middle of the tableau while he incenses the newborn. A striking detail: besides the ermine coat, he is also wearing priest’s clothes and attributes.
The stole is clearly recognisable. It may be that he is also wearing an alb and a chasuble. Some albs had a part in transparent lace, as we can see under the man’s bent arm. Furthermore, he offers his gift, the myrrh, in a way that identifies him as a priest, celebrating the Offer of the New Testament. The myrrh is burnt in an incense burner, a traditional mass attribute.
This reference to the Eucharistic Offer is not the only one in this painting. There is a similar connotation in the representation of the corn. On the bottom right of the composition, we see Mary and Joseph. The Holy Virgin is holding the Baby Jesus, who is sitting on a chest with corn kernels. There are more corn kernels lying on the ground.
The spider
On the top right of the composition, in the truss, there is an enormous, ripped up spider web. The spider is a symbol of the devil, and the spider web represents the devil’s works and heresy. The destroyed web illustrates Redemption from the devil’s works by the advent, the Birth of God’s Son (Fig. 11).
Apart from this general meaning in the context of the history of salvation, the spider’s presence can also be related to an event in one of St. Norbert’s biographies, the so-called Vita “A” Sancti Norberti. During mass service, after the consecration, an enormous spider falls in to the chalice, to the saint’s greatest repugnance. Nevertheless, he drinks everything that is in the chalice. After the mass service, St. Norbert prays to God, mortally afraid. Suddenly his nose starts to itch and the saint sneezes out the spider.
The light
The light play is highly determining for the power of expression of this beautiful work (Fig. 1). Unlike other representations that Rubens made of this theme, the painter did not only put light on the thematic centre of the tableau, where Christ and the Holy Virgin are. In this case the entire foreground is bathing in a warm, bright glow. At the same time there is a clear blue sky in the background, possibly of daybreak – in strong contrast to the Bible story that took place at night. After all, the three wise men were following a star that had appeared in the sky.
Several authors have suggested that this unnatural light play symbolises the Saviour’s advent shining like a light in the darkness (John, 1:5). The prophet Isaiah wrote the following in chapter 60
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. 5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. 6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
The ox
Among the kings’ retinue, a company of thirteen men, two men indeed were riding camels. Rubens painted the impressive animals in an exceptionally natural way.
The same thing happens with the ox, represented frontally on the bottom right of the painting (Fig. 13). There are several ways to interpret the animal’s presence, taking into account the donkey that normally accompanies the ox on representations of Jesus’ birth. As a duo they represent the Old and the New Law, Jews and Christians. The ox, according to Isaiah, 1: 3 represents the Jews’ belief in the new king: “3 The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” According to another interpretation, related to the evangelist symbols that link the ox to the evangelist Lucas, the animal refers to the Offer and Christ’s priesthood.
This apostle’s gospel starts with the offer of the priest Zacharias (Lucas, 1: 8-10):
8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
The antique column
This altarpiece can be considered as the most monumental representation that Rubens ever made of the Adoration, not only for its dimensions – 447 x 336 cm - but also for the elaboration of the subject. The only version that, in terms of decorum, comes near the solemn character of the work described here is the one at the Madrid Prado Museum (1609-29). After all, this painting had quite a specific destination. The Antwerp city council commissioned it to adorn the so-called State Chamber at the City Hall, where the negotiations between the Northern and the Southern Netherlands would take place, leading to the Twelve-Year Truce. So, this was not an altarpiece.
In this painting there is another, specific motive that also appears on the altarpiece: the grooved, ‘antique’ column. In both cases it is in the back left of the composition. In both versions, Rubens combined this architectural motive with a wooden beam construction evoking a stable. It is a shed in the ruins of antique architecture. Other representations of the Adoration in Rubens’ oeuvre place the event in a stable, while an early work, attributed to the painter and preserved in a private collection, situates it in antique looking ruins (1602, M. Jaffé, 1989, nr. 21).
There are several ways to explain the column. Some authors consider it as a symbol of the Church and the New Testament that arose with Christ’s advent. Possibly it also refers to the ruinous state of King David’s palace. His kingdom would go down but according to the prophet Isaiah the new King would be born from his descents to found the empire of the Spirit. Isaiah refers to this in his seventh chapter:
13 Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."