Have you ever looked at a scene in a painting and thought: I wish I could be there right now? It’s a thought that might accompany a gorgeous seascape, or maybe Van Gogh’s ‘Summer Evening in Arles’. But this Christmas The National Gallery is inviting you to step into... a chaotic nativity scene by sixteenth-century Flemish artist Jan Gossaert. At ‘Sensing the Unseen’, you can view Gossaert’s ‘The Adoration of the Kings’ in 4D through soundscapes, spoken word and hi-resolution digital imagery.
So who exactly is Gossaert? He was a Netherlandish painter who is often credited with bringing the Italian Renaissance to Flanders. Gossaert’s best-known painting is probably ‘Neptune and Amphitrite’ but ‘The Adoration of the Kings’ has some great stuff going for it too: wild composition, dozens of religious motifs, two dogs, a baby Jesus and colours so vivid it’s hard to believe it was painted more than 500 years ago. The immersive Gossaert experience is free to visit, along with rest of the National Gallery’s permanent collection. A Christmas miracle!