Solomon

Opaque glass mosaic, designed by William Blake Richmond, executed by Messrs Powell of Whitefriars, completed by 1896



King Solomon is depicted here as a priest king. The son of King David, he reigned when the First Temple was completed in Jerusalem. His mosaic is located between that of his father, who started preparations for the construction of the temple, and the mosaics dedicated to Aholiab and Bezaleel, the actual builders of the structure. The temple functioned as a place of worship and as a treasury for the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments. All three mosaics offer a vivid illustration of the First Temple and its features. The background of this mosaic provides a glimpse into the Temple, inspired by descriptions in the Bible: a fabric, held up by two clasps, can be seen, which may be the “veil in blue, purple and crimson”.



Brief description: Solomon as young clean shaven man with shoulder-length dark hair, seated on a lion throne with, his left hand raised, the right resting on the lion’s head. He is dressed in white tunic, a red-gold cope, and papal hat. In the background a column and a striped fabric in black, blues, purple, red and gold, decorated with cherubim above a row of snakes; underneath a band decorated with winged figures and vases with flowers against a golden background.



Related quotes:

2 Chronicles 3:14: “And Solomon made the curtain of blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and worked cherubim into it.”

Browne 1894, p. 15: “The figures in the spaces on the sides of the clerestory windows on the south represent the builders and decorators of the Temple and the Tabernacle, and the earliest visions of a house or tabernacle of God. Beginning as before with the easternmost bay, which comes first in the chronological order in which the work was done, the figure on the east side of the window is David, with the harp; that on the west, Solomon is seated on the lion throne. The difference between the simplicity of David’s dress and the magnificence of Solomon’s should be noticed. Here, too, as in the case of the Sibyls, the skill with which the artist has made his design fit the great raised scrolls of Sir Christopher Wren, on each side of the window, should be observed. The inscriptions below the window [destroyed during the Second World War] on this side are, O Radix Jesse veni ad liberandum nos, O Clavis David veni et educ vinctum, ‘O Root of Jesse (Isaiah xxii.10) come and release us, O Key of David (Isaiah xi.10) come and set the captive free.’ These are portions of ancient Antiphons to the Magnificat for December 18 and 19.”



Literature and references: Browne 1896, p. 15; Zech 2015, p. 31.