Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

This biblical scene tells the story of the Queen of Sheba who travelled from afar to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. She presents him with precious gifts, some of them visible in the foreground. Pittoni was a leading painter in Venice in the 18th century, famous for developing the lavish Rococo style. The delicate colour scheme in this image, along with the graceful poses and elegant hand gestures, are typical of this. Identical in size to The Raising of Lazarus by Balestra, also in the Walker’s collection, the two were probably produced for the same series.