Solomon Building the Temple - Hans Collaert the Elder

A detailed hand-coloured engraving by Hans Collaert the Elder, depicting the construction of the Temple of Solomon with historical narrative precision.

This hand-coloured engraving by Hans Collaert the Elder depicts the construction of the Temple of Solomon, a subject drawn from the Old Testament. Collaert, a prominent Flemish engraver based in Antwerp, was known for his technical precision and his contributions to the dissemination of biblical imagery through print media. The composition is organised to show the scale of the architectural undertaking, with King Solomon positioned in the foreground, gesturing towards the construction site.

In the background, workers are shown engaged in various tasks, including masonry and the transport of materials, set against a backdrop of a city under development. The use of colour, applied by hand to the original engraving, adds a layer of visual clarity to the figures and the architectural elements. The inclusion of Latin and French inscriptions at the base of the print provides a direct reference to the biblical source, specifically the Third Book of Kings.

Collaert employs a narrative style common to the period, where multiple stages of an event are presented within a single frame. The figures are rendered with the characteristic proportions and drapery styles of the mid-sixteenth century. The print reflects the interest in classical architectural forms and biblical history that occupied many artists in the Low Countries during this era. The work is a fine example of the collaborative nature of print production in Antwerp, where artists, engravers, and publishers worked in close proximity to produce high-quality visual materials for a broad audience. The attention to detail in the tools and the construction process suggests a desire to ground the biblical narrative in a recognisable, practical reality.