Original etching printed in black ink on Arches wove paper with hand watercoloring added by the artist. Hand signed by the artist in pencil with the artist's monogram "M. Ch" lower right. Numbered "57/100" in pencil, lower left. An impression from the edition of 100. From the series "The Bible," commissioned by Ambroise Vollard. Published by Tériade, Paris, 1956.
Platemark: 11 11/16" x 9 1/2"; Sheet size: 18 1/2" x 13 3/8";
Framed: 24 1/2" x 21 3/4"
Catalogue reference: Sorlier No. 273, p.154
In 1931 Chagall traveled through Egypt, Siria and Palenstine. At his return, he dedicated himself completely to the illustrations of the Bible which had been commissioned by Ambroise Vollard in 1930. He worked at the project until 1939 when he went to Holland to study and find inspiration in the works of Rembrandt. Enstranged from France until 1948, because of the war and the persecution of Jews, he was able to continue the project in 1952. The Bible series was finally published in 1956.
In 970 B.C. at approximately age 20, Solomon the youngest son of King David and Bathsheba, was proclaimed king with the help of the prophet Nathan. King David named his son “Solomon”, which means peaceable, in anticipation of the peace and quietness of his son’s reign. One day God appeared to Solomon in a dream and bade him to ask for anything he chose. The King requested an understanding heart with which he would be able to justly judge his people. Thereafter word of Solomon’s greatness spread and people traveled from all parts to hear his wisdom. During Solomon’s forty-year reign, his relations with neighboring kings were friendly and commerce flourished with open and safe trade routes.
