This week, the Board of Directors of the Community of Madrid declared the painting “Adoration of the Three Wise Men” by Anton van Dyck as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). In this way, the regional executive realized the historical and artistic value that this pictorial work assumed for cultural heritage.
It corresponds to a work of Van Dyck’s youth, between 1616-1617, when he was just 17 or 18 years old, evidencing the creativity and radicalism that characterized the first moments of his career. The young phase of the Flemish painter has always intrigued historians due to the extraordinary speed of his talent.
It is an oil on canvas measuring 150 x 230 cm and in good condition, which stands out for its mastery of colors, the rich and vivid colors, the brushstrokes and the quality of the fabrics, as well as the composition of the structure of the group. Its composition, articulated and uniform, brings together many great figures endowed with body and immediacy, movement and expression.
The entire work – currently owned by a private individual – follows the baroque typology, in which many figures are represented, each studied individually and in groups, showing different attitudes and planes, with movement and dynamism. All characters are characterized by realism and individual faces that show expression and emotion.
That. In the rest of the painting, the light reflects mainly on the witches’ clothes, creating color changes of lesser or greater intensity.
Advertising this work as a BIC means that it cannot be exported and, if it is offered for sale, the owners are obliged to notify the administration so that it can decide whether the preemptive right should be exercised. Furthermore, any interference with the property must be authorized by the Community of Madrid and must respect the standards established by law and the Declaration itself.
