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Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
There’s a quietly whimsical seriousness in this scene: three elaborately robed figures and a lone camel seated in an ornate golden boat that seems more palace than vessel, set improbably on a grassy ledge above a Flemish-like landscape. The painting’s restrained palette of warm golds, russets and cool slate grays gives the image a timeless, storybook hush—rich ornament and patterned textiles stand out against calm distant hills and a single windswept tree. Small, playful details—the filigreed prow, the lateen sail’s jaunty ribbon, and the camel’s bemused expression—make the scene feel both ceremonial and lightly comic, as if a familiar procession has taken a delightful detour. The composition balances the boat’s heavy decorative weight with open sky and gentle terrain, creating a sense of purpose softened by charm. It’s a piece that feels like a quiet tale told beside a fire: dignified, imaginative, and slightly mischievous.
The Artwork
About Three Wise Men in a Boat
Three Wise Men in a Boat<br> LIMITED EDITION CANVAS
“These three are obviously on an important mission,” says James Christensen, “dressed in their finest clothes and all very serious, even the camel. We’re not sure who they are but they each appear to be carrying a special gift.”
Their magical golden boat, complete with Moorish-inspired stone arches and a filigreed rudder, sports a “lateen” sail common around the Mediterranean Sea and other Mideast coastal waters. Is this ship floating or has it run aground? Perhaps they are near Bethlehem . . . but it looks a lot like northern Europe. Then again, this journey in a spectacular vessel of imprecise ancestry across a Flemish landscape might just be a jewel of a metaphor for life itself.
“These three wise men are taking a shortcut,” says the artist with a twinkle in his eye.
“There’s only one camel on deck. The other two are below because they get seasick.”
This holiday-inspired image from the professor of the imagination, James C. Christensen, is a treasure for your home year round.
Their magical golden boat, complete with Moorish-inspired stone arches and a filigreed rudder, sports a “lateen” sail common around the Mediterranean Sea and other Mideast coastal waters. Is this ship floating or has it run aground? Perhaps they are near Bethlehem . . . but it looks a lot like northern Europe. Then again, this journey in a spectacular vessel of imprecise ancestry across a Flemish landscape might just be a jewel of a metaphor for life itself.
“These three wise men are taking a shortcut,” says the artist with a twinkle in his eye.
“There’s only one camel on deck. The other two are below because they get seasick.”
This holiday-inspired image from the professor of the imagination, James C. Christensen, is a treasure for your home year round.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
Product-specific details, edition information, provenance, and special considerations are shown here when applicable.
About the Collection
James Christensen (1942–2017) was a visionary fantasy artist known for his whimsical paintings that blend mythological storytelling with magical realism. His work, inspired by Renaissance art and surrealism, features imaginative characters, intricate details, and symbolic elements such as floating fish, which represent wisdom and wonder. Christensen’s unique artistic voice brought to life fairy tales, fables, and medieval-inspired dreamscapes, making his fine art prints and collectible fantasy artwork highly sought after. His ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary continues to captivate art collectors and dreamers alike.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by James Christensen.
Authorized Source
Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
It is with deep regret and profound sadness that The Collection Shop announces the passing of artist James C. Christensen on Sunday, January 8, 2017.
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
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