The Queen of Sheba had heard of Solomon’s fame and came to ask him difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great number of camels loaded with spices, a large quantity of gold, and precious jewels. When she was in Solomon’s presence, she presented all her doubts, and Solomon explained all her questions. There was no mystery that the king could not solve. The Queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s splendid life; she saw the house he had built, the exquisite food on his table, the rooms and the uniforms of his servants, the robes of his officials, and the sacrifices offered at the House of the Lord. [...] Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, spices, and a large quantity of jewels. Never before had such a quantity of spices arrived as those the Queen of Sheba gave to Solomon. But the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, also brought large amounts of sandalwood and precious stones. With the sandalwood, Solomon made balconies for the House of the Lord and the king’s palace, as well as lyres and harps for the singers. Wood like that has not been seen since that day. Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba all that she wanted; moreover, he gave her gifts as only he could give. Afterward, she left and returned to her country with all her people. (1 Kings 10, 1 – 5; 10, 10 - 13)

Solomon, son of David, was the last king of unified Israel, he was known for his wisdom and for leading the people of Israel to prosperity. In fact, he is credited with building the great Temple of Jerusalem using rich materials.

The represented scene is found in both the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament, it tells the story of how the Queen of Sheba goes to Jerusalem, drawn by Solomon’s great reputation, wanting to see for herself the wonders people spoke of. The text also mentions that she arrived with a large entourage and many valuable gifts.

The scene of this encounter has been widely represented since the Renaissance, often used to decorate palaces and aristocratic interiors, serving as a pretext to portray the daily life and ceremonies of the ruling classes. By the 19th century, this theme also helped to explore the exoticism evoked by places colonized by European powers. In Christianity, this moment holds significance, as it is interpreted as an anticipation of the universal reach of Christ’s message.