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Visit of the Queen of Sheba
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Visit of the Queen of Sheba

painting by Fontana
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The painting "Visit of the Queen of Sheba" was created by Lavinia Fontana, an Italian painter of the Mannerist school. She was one of the first women to receive public commissions for large figure paintings. The Queen of Sheba, a legendary ruler of Saba (Sheba) in southwestern Arabia, is known from Jewish and Islamic traditions. According to the biblical account, she visited King Solomon to test his wisdom, bringing gifts of gold, jewels, and spices, which highlights ancient commercial ties between Israel and southern Arabia. Fontana's painting is described as her most ambitious surviving narrative work.12

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  1. Queen of Sheba
  2. Lavinia Fontana

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