Journey of the Queen of Sheba

Apollonio di Giovanni's Journey of the Queen of Sheba belongs to his celebrated production of painted cassoni (marriage chests) depicting classical and biblical narratives for Florentine wealthy families. Apollonio's workshop was the most successful cassone painter in mid-fifteenth century Florence, producing narrative panels filled with richly dressed figures in architectural settings that combined classical subjects with contemporary Florentine pageantry. The Queen of Sheba's journey to test Solomon's wisdom was a popular cassone subject, the procession of exotic visitors and animals providing the spectacular display of wealth appropriate to marriage celebrations.

The painting displays Apollonio's characteristic panoramic narrative style, with a continuous procession of elegantly dressed figures moving through a landscape rendered in bright, decorative colors suited to the festive function of cassone painting.