These high-quality panels are characteristic works of the Master of 1518, an anonymous Mannerist artist active in Antwerp in the early 16^th century. Friedländer was the first to identify this master as the author of an altarpiece depicting the Life of the Virgin in the Marienkirche, Lübeck, dated 1518 on the wings. Some scholars have identified the Master of 1518 as Jan van Dornicke, the father-in-law of Pieter Coecke van Aelst, although this identification is not universally accepted. What is certain is that the Master of 1518 freely blended both Italianate and traditional Northern themes, and the works secured to his hand are distinguished by a crisp focus, vivid coloration, a delicate technique, and animated figures. Together, these elements led to notably lively narratives, as visible in the present Adoration of the Magi.

The Adoration of the Magi was one of the favored subjects of the Antwerp Mannerists, for it allowed them to indulge in the depiction of rich cost.mes s and elaborate architectural settings. Here, the artist has given himself over fully to the sumptuous vestments, the ornate gifts of the three kings, and the detailed backdrop. The Holy Family appears on the left panel, while the three Magi appear on the right. Caspar, the eldest of the three, kneels before the Virgin and Child. He is garbed in rich furs and fabrics, adorned with jewels and delicate details. Balthasar stands to his right, garbed in white silk with gilt decorations and magnificent jewels, while Melchior stands between these two figures, wearing a striking red hat and looking down on the scene in front of him.

In style and technique, these panels come close to the Master of 1518’s eponymous work, particularly in the distinct and characteristic underdrawing visible through Infrared Images (figs. 1, 2). In the left wing, delicate lines were used to render the figures and their placement (note the small changes to the position of Saint Joseph and the Virgin’s heads). In the right wing, on the other hand, an energetic and somewhat freer underdrawing was used for all three magi, their cost.mes s, and their features. Notable changes include the shift of Balthasar’s facial features, as well as the direction of Melchior’s gaze and the position of the object he holds in his hands.

These two panels have been framed together since the 19th century, when they formed part of the collects ion of the first Earl of Ellenborough. When his Estate sold the pair in 1908 with an erroneous attribution to Barend van Orley, curved additions had been placed at each upper edge, though these have since been removed. While their original format remains unknown, the related yet somewhat truncated compositions suggest that these two panels possibly once formed part of a larger altarpiece.

We are grateful to Peter van den Brink and Till-Holger Borcher for endorsing the present attribution on the basis of digital images.