Artwork
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jan van Scorel. It dates from 1540 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition highlights the meeting as a demonstration of Solomon's sagacity and the queen's discernment, reflecting Renaissance interests in moral exempla.
The work shows the biblical encounter in which King Solomon receives the Queen of Sheba, a scene drawn from 1 Kings 10 and 2 Chronicles. Van Scorel renders Solomon in regal dress with a crown and scepter, while the queen appears in sumptuous robes and a jeweled crown, emphasizing her royal status and the exchange of gifts that symbolize wisdom and wealth. The composition highlights the meeting as a demonstration of Solomon's sagacity and the queen's discernment, reflecting Renaissance interests in moral exempla.
Executed in oil on panel in 1540, the painting measures 96 cm by 194 cm and belongs to the Rijksmuseum collection.
Technique & Style
Jan van Scorel's Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1540) is an oil painting on a wooden panel, a common support for religious works of the period. The composition belongs to the religious genre and depicts the biblical encounter between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, drawing its narrative from 1 Kings 10 and the Second Book of Chronicles. Stylistically, the work balances figure interaction with a clear spatial organization typical of High Renaissance religious imagery.
History & Provenance
Jan van Scorel created this oil-on-panel painting in 1540. The work measures 96 cm in height and 194 cm in width and illustrates the biblical meeting between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. No specific accession number or exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
Jan van Scorel's painting, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, was completed in 1540 using oil on panel. This religious work depicts the biblical encounter between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. The artwork is currently part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum, where it offers insight into Northern Renaissance religious painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van Scorel was a Dutch painter, who played a leading role in introducing aspects of Italian Renaissance painting into Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting.
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