Balthazar

A Black African King in Medieval and Renaissance Art

Kristen Collins, Bryan C Keene, Henry Louis Gates Jr , Andrea Achi

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English

J. Paul Getty Museum
04 April 2023

History of art: Byzantine & Medieval art; Renaissance art; African history

This abundantly illustrated book examines the figure of Balthazar, one of the biblical magi, and explains how and why he came to be depicted as a Black African king.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, magi from the East, following a star, traveled to Jerusalem bearing precious gifts for the infant Jesus. The magi were revered as wise men and later as kings. Over time, one of the three came to be known as Balthazar and to be depicted as a Black man.

Balthazar was familiar to medieval Europeans, appearing in paintings, manuscript illuminations, mosaics, carved ivories, and jewelry. But the origin story of this fascinating character uncovers intricate ties between Europe and Africa, including trade and diplomacy as well as colonization and enslavement.

In this book, experts in the fields of Ethiopian, West African, Nubian, and Western European art explore the representation of Balthazar as a Black African king. They examine exceptional art that portrays the European fantasy of the Black magus while offering clues about the very real Africans who may have inspired these images. Along the way, the authors chronicle the Black presence in premodern Europe, where free and enslaved Black people moved through public spaces and courtly circles. The volume's lavish illustrations include selected works by contemporary artists who creatively challenge traditional depictions of Black history.

Introduction by: Henry Louis Gates Jr
Contributions by: Andrea Achi, Tyree Boyd-Pates
Edited by: Kristen Collins, Bryan C Keene
Imprint: J. Paul Getty Museum
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 267mm, Width: 216mm,
ISBN: 9781606067857
ISBN 10: 1606067850
Pages: 152
Publication Date: 04 April 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Kristen Collins is curator of manuscripts at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Bryan C. Keene (he/el/they/elle) is assistant professor of art history at Riverside City College and a former associate curator of manuscripts at the J. Paul Getty Museum. He specializes in codex cultures of a global Middle Ages and fantasy medievalisms.

Reviews for Balthazar: A Black African King in Medieval and Renaissance Art

This beautifully illustrated book on Balthazar, the African king believed to be one of the wise men who traveled from afar to acknowledge the divinity of the infant Christ, is a real gift. The range of related topics covered spreads out into the early modern world-the rise of African kingdoms as well as pertinent aspects of the slave trade-something readers today are looking for. The authors, experts all, know how to write concisely and to be enjoyed as well as impart insight. - Joaneath Spicer, The James A. Murnaghan Curator of Renaissance and Baroque Art, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore