Pictured Above: King Solomon meets the
Queen of Sheba, painted by Afewerk Tekle
Afewerk Tekle, former artist
Laureate of Ethiopia, was born in Ankober, Ethiopia in 1932. After studying
sculpture, painting and architecture at London University and the famous
Academie di Michelangelo in Italy. After exhibiting his work all around
the globe, Tekle completed several works, the most notable of which are
the work above, which hangs in the St. George Cathedral, and a monstrous
1,615 square foot stained glass piece entitled "The Struggles and Aspirations
of the African People". This stained glass piece was made for the Africa
Hall United Nations building in 1960.
One of the greatest biblical
paintings of a great artist, this work was chosen as an example of neo-classical
Ethiopian art. Though full of obvious European influences, Tekle's painting
maintains an element of Ethiopian style to it. While most European artists
depict biblical characters as European themselves, Tekle portrays people
of color, wearing clothing more like what King Solomon would have actually
worn. The use of bright color and ornate detail hearken to Byzantine religious
pieces; a notable characteristic of many classic Ethiopian religiously-inspired
pieces.
In this painting Tekle draws
the viewer's attention to the aesthetic beauty of king and queen, taking
the time to draw the gold trim of Sheba's crown and the precise point of
her slippers. Tekle captures the grand nature of Solomon's reign, using
rich vibrant colors to illustrate Solomon's extreme wealth. In 1 Kings,
the meeting of Solomon and Sheba is described biblically as a meeting between
two incredibly important and wealthy people, and verse one of Kings chapter
ten alludes to the large train of servants that accompany Sheba into Solomon's
midst. Interestingly, Tekle captures this, but chooses to place the King
of Israel on a throne above the bustle, illustrating the power and influence
of Solomon. This alludes to the rest of Chapter 10 of 1Kings, in which
Solomon is described as a provider for the desires of Sheba , giving her
all that her heart desires. An extremely important event in the eyes of
Judeo-Christian historians, the meeting of Sheba and Israel is a metaphor
for the peace and general wealth the Israelites enjoyed during the reign
of Solomon.
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