The Queen of Sheba with King Solomon and Tribute Bearers

ca. 1930–40

African Art

The Italian colonial conquest of Ethiopia (1936–41) elicited a heightened demand from tourists and expatriates for Ethiopian paintings, resulting in the establishment of collaborative workshops with artists producing paintings in an assembly-line mode. The legend of the Queen of Sheba is one of the most popular themes in paintings by these workshops. According to Ethiopian written and oral histories, the Queen of Sheba became pregnant after visiting King Solomon and gave birth to a son, Menelik I, who became king of Ethiopia. During the reign of Emperor Menelik II (1889–1913), a rise in the number of foreign visitors and national modernization processes led to an emerging art market for Ethiopian artists that extended beyond the church. Ethiopian paintings were part of ceremonial gift exchanges and sold to tourists.

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

31 5/16 × 56 15/16in. (79.5 × 144.6 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of Nina M. Griggs in memory of N. Lee Griggs, Jr., B.A. 1951

Accession Number

2005.41.1

Geography
Period

20th century

Classification
Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

Provenance

Purchased by Nina Griggs at estate sale in Greenwich from woman whose husband had worked in Africa; Donated by Nina Grigg to Yale University Art Gallery in 2005
Bibliography
  • "Acquisitions and Gifts," in "African Art at Yale," special issue, Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin (2005), 139
Object copyright
Additional information

Object/Work type

religious art

Technical metadata and APIs

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