The Anointing of Solomon
Artist: Cornelis de Vos (Flemish, (1584 - 1651)
Date: c. 1630
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Austria
Description
It depicts a scene from the Old Testament (1 Kings 1:32-39), in which Solomon is anointed king of Israel by the priest Zadok at the behest of his elderly father David. Zadok is just pouring holy oil on Solomon's head. This rebuffed the claims to the throne of Solomon's older brother, Adonijah. De Vos, a highly successful portrait painter, incorporates inspiration from Rubens here.












