**First Time At Auction**

Africa, Ethiopia, 20th century. A mesmerizing painting of Ethiopian Christian scenes related to the story of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, the subsequent birth of a son, Menelik I, who years later visited his father who crowned him King of Ethiopia, and the abduction of the Ark of the Covenant. 44 scenes related to this theme are delineated in this multi-paneled composition in a brilliant color palette with inscriptions above each vignette. The grid of panels is in turn surrounded by a decorative border of red, white, blue, black, and gold hues that 'frames' each moment of the story. Size: 48" W x 23" H (121.9 cm x 58.4 cm)

Elisabeth Biasio summarizes one of the primary themes of Ethiopian Christian art, "According to written and oral legends from the Christian highlands, the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia. After visiting Solomon, she became pregnant and bore a son, Menelik I. When grown, he visited his father, who crowned him King of Ethiopia. On returning home, Menelik, together with the firstborn sons of the elders of Jerusalem, abducted the Ark of the Covenant, which is said to still be housed in the Church of Maryam Tsion in Aksum. Although this legend served as the legitimization of the Ethiopian royal dynasties and was of great importance in the Kebra Negast, 4 no depiction of it is known until the reign of Menelik II." ("Contemporary Ethiopian Painting in Traditional Style" in "African Arts" Spring 2009, p. 14)

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000

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#161067

Minor scuffs to pigment in areas and some staining. Verso of canvas has darkened over time.