Solomon Building the Temple, from The Story of Solomon

Maarten van Heemskerck

1554 · Engraving · Drawings and Prints

Not unlike modern-day construction sites, this Old Testament scene illustrating King Solomon building a temple in Jerusalem showcases the working relationship and strict division of labor between the king-architect, master builder, masons, and carpenters, each equipped with their respective architectural tools. According to descriptions in the Hebrew Bible, the multiethnic workmen principally used locally sourced materials to construct the building that would come to be known as the Temple of Solomon. Netherlandish artist Heemskerck likely used this tenth-century bce subject to make a veiled political reference.

Artist

Maarten van Heemskerck

Date

1554

Medium

Engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1966