Blog #3: The Halls of the Forest of Lebanon

Ekphrastic writing: In words (either poetry or prose) vividly describe one of the paintings that you saw on our virtual tour of the gallery last week.

The vaunted halls lay open to the heavens, the sky a ceiling of sufficient magnitude to house such visions. Colossal trunks bore the skies weight, their roots slipping deep into the marble beneath, brilliant shades of red and gold. The marbled forest floor was smooth and cool to the touch, polished veins weaving their way through the rock, the pad of bare feet less than a whisper. Rich carpet cast a layer of litter to the forest floor, a soothing warmth from the soft marble. Two hundred shields clung to the pillars, each burnished with beaten gold that shone with a lustre to blind the eyes, sunlight to nourish the forest of stone and finery. Wine flowed like nourishing rain. Upon twelve silver steps lay one golden throne, encircled with ivory that had grown to embrace it. A pride of lions made their dwelt upon it, as peacocks strutted back and forth on the floor below, their grand plumage proudly vaunted. To such a place came all the kings of the Earth, to drink from pools of gold, sit upon chairs of cedar, to marvel at the denizens of such a dwelling, be garbed in raiment to make their own clothing little more than rags and grasp wisdom in their hands. Such was the Halls of the Forest of Lebanon.

Yet on this day the fierce lion stood stiffly at attention in every step, struck to stillness. The peacocks were drab, their feathers wan. The wine was soured in every cup, the lights of the shields were dimmed, the columns sagged, the carpet faded, the throne choked beneath the ivory. For a woman entered into the hall, and Solomon’s riches were nothing in the face of her presence. The Queen of Sheba had come, and the forest would be darkened forever after.

….

I elected to describe the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, an incredibly grandiose and biblical piece. There is a section in the Old Testament that describes the incredible wealth of King Solomon and the extravagance of the Halls of the Forest of Lebanon that I used for inspiration (2 Chronicles 9:13-29). I can also see its influence upon Poynter in his painting as well in the opulence on display and even the marvelous frame the scene is placed.

The visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon

Sir Edward John Poynter England 1890