Picture in Focus: Three Wise Men Greeting Card by Irene Delano

January 14, 2018

Picture in Focus: Three Wise Men Greeting Card by Irene Delano

On this freezing first Sunday after Epiphany, we're staying on the balmy island of Puerto Rico to look at another new image of the Wise Men from the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection. As Matthew 2:12 (KJV) tells us, the Magi "departed into their own country another way," after being warned in a dream not to reveal the whereabouts of the Christ Child to King Herod. In this delightful little serigraph from Graphic Artist Irene Delano, the Three Kings head off in different directions to their Eastern homelands, riding a horse, camel, and elephant, accompanied by jubilant flocks of doves and heavenly music-makers. The image appeared on a line of greeting cards Delano designed specifically for the Puerto Rican market, where she replaced mainland Santas and reindeers with imagery of this more traditional trio of gift-bearers, whose coming is celebrated on the island on January 6, El Dia des Reyes (The Day of the Kings). This new Delano Christmas card joins two others in the gallery of the Puerto Rican serigraphs page in the Schools of Sacred Art section. (John Kohan)