King Gaspar 

This is Edward Burne-Jones's study for King Gaspar, rendered in chalk around 1887. Observe Gaspar, one of the three Magi, bearing gifts for the infant Christ. His crown, a symbol of earthly kingship, is offered in humble recognition of a higher spiritual power. Consider the orb hanging from his waist – a vessel, perhaps for myrrh, but also echoing the celestial orb, laden with symbolic weight. This connects to the long history of the "globus cruciger", which represents Christ's dominion over the world. These symbols recur throughout history, each time colored by its cultural moment. We see the orb in the hands of emperors and saints, a visual assertion of power and divine favor. The gift-bearing Magi themselves are powerful symbols. Their journey symbolizes humanity's quest for spiritual truth, a quest that continues through the ages, each generation reinterpreting the ancient narrative with new symbols and meanings. It is an emotional and psychological journey, a longing encoded in art.