QUEEN OF SPICES | Edward Poynter’s Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon in the Art Gallery of NSW with Alison Inglis

The biblical figure, the Queen of Sheba, has long been associated with the spice trade. The Bible tells us: “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to ... Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance ...”. This lecture will consider the portrayal of this legendary queen in the monumental painting titled The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, executed by the Victorian artist, Sir Edward Poynter in 1890, and today one of the star attractions in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Regarded as a masterpiece of British 19th century Orientalism, the picture is a fascinating amalgam of archaeological and imaginative details.

ALISON INGLIS teaches, researches and publishes on 19th century British art. Her doctorial thesis examined the work of the Victorian academic painter, Sir Edward Poynter. She is an Associate Professor in the Art History programme of the University of Melbourne. She has coordinated the MA in Art Curatorship since 1995.

Sir Edward Poynter, The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, 1890, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney