This is the largest jigsaw puzzle in the world! Rogier van der Weyden was at the height of his artistic ability when, around 1455, he painted this altarpiece for St Columba's Church in Cologne, Germany. It is a spectacular work at 3 metres in length and this jigsaw puzzle is a life-size copy of his original. This magnificent work on oak panels depicts three scenes: the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi in Bethlehem, and the Presentation in the Temple. The central image of the Three Kings was a particularly popular theme in Cologne, as since the 12th century the city had guarded in the cathedral the relics of the Kings, one of its most precious possessions. The impressive composition of this masterpiece, with its solemn and aristocratic figures, its subtle delicacy and the beautiful details adorning it, created a great impression on Rogier van der Weyden's contemporaries. |