Die Anbetung der Könige - Hendrick Goltzius

The Virgin Mary sits holding the Christ child while a kneeling elder king offers a bowl of gold coins. Behind them, the other two Magi stand holding elaborate ornamental vessels, accompanied by a crowd of onlookers and Joseph. The scene is set within a crumbling classical ruin that symbolizes the transition from the old pagan world to the new era, with a distant city visible through the archway.

This engraving is part of Goltzius's 'Meisterstiche' series, where he demonstrated his 'Protean' ability to masterfully imitate the styles of earlier masters—in this case, Lucas van Leyden. Within the Western esoteric tradition, the Magi were often interpreted as practitioners of the 'prisca theologia' or ancient wisdom, representing the alignment of astrology and Eastern philosophy with the Christian revelation.