The Star of Bethlehem by Sir Edward Burne-Jones (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Star of Bethlehem
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Among the painters of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Edward Burne-Jones stands out as one of the most productive and talented artists of his age. Burne-Jones—like many Pre-Raphaelites—was inspired by the legends and myths of older cultures; however, he also created many pieces of religious artwork.

As Christmas approaches, I’d like to share an example of this art. Burne-Jones’ Star of Bethlehem depicts the birth of Christ with the three Wise Men in attendance. This is a traditional and well-worn motif in Christian art that celebrates the Epiphany, the day on which the three Wise Men reached the Christ child after their journey. Though there are many versions of the Epiphany scene in Western art, Burne-Jones’ Star of Bethlehem is particularly beautiful.

Burne-Jones first approached the subject of the Epiphany when he was commissioned to create a tapestry for the University of Oxford. He completed a version of the Star of Bethlehem— known as the Adoration of the Magi in this case—as a model for the tapestry weavers in 1886. One year later, a very similar painting—Star of Bethlehem—was commissioned by the city of Birmingham.

The resulting painting is huge, standing at over eight feet tall. As the title suggest, the painting depicts the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child receiving the three Magi in a stylized manger on a grassy field. An angel stands by, holding the titular Star of Bethlehem in his hands and smiling down on the scene.

When considered in the light of Biblical descriptions of the Epiphany, the painting itself is a bit abstract. The meeting between Christ and the three Magi is occurring in an empty field with trees in the background. The ambiance and the climate bears no resemblance to the bustling town of Bethlehem, and Mary’s manger is little more than a hut. Although the subject is immediately recognizable, Burne-Jones has chosen to portray it in a way that bears no resemblance to reality. Instead, this religious scene takes place somewhere outside of time and space, an abstract space that resists definition.

This approach to religious art is reminiscent of older ages of Western art. However, it is also uniquely Pre-Raphaelite, a movement that reveled in the seriousness and symbolic importance of already serious subjects. In Pre-Raphaelite art, transcendence can be found, and Star of Bethlehem is a fine example of this quality.

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