Simeon Solomon

Acquired directly from the artist by Myer Salaman (1836–1896);

Thence by inheritance and descent. 

Throughout his career Solomon was fascinated with depicting religious men, whether Jewish, Christian or Pagan. Two magnificent examples are Carrying the Scrolls of Law (watercolour version dated 1870 at Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, an oil sold Sotheby’s, New York, 15 December 2016, lot 95 and another now in Baroda Art Gallery, India) and the Christian counterpart The Mystery of Faith, of 1870, (Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight) in which a Catholic priest is seen holding the Host at Mass. A similar concentration on religious ritual can be seen in the black chalk drawing Carrying the Torah During the Sukkot Holiday (Sotheby’s, New York, 5 June 2019, lot 40). In his later pictures Solomon concentrated on a more symbolist depiction of priests, scholars and rabbis in comparison with the earlier, more narrative representations of religious worship. The poet Swinburne, a close friend of Solomon, wrote; 'As the Hebrew love of vast atmosphere and infinite spiritual range without foothold on earth or resting-place in nature is perceptible in the mystic and symbolist cast of so many sketches and studies, so is a certain loving interest in the old sacred forms, in the very body of historic tradition, made manifest in various more literal designs of actual religious offices'.¹

This painting belonged to Solomon's first cousin Myer Salaman, a successful wholesale dealer in ostrich feathers for the millinery industry. Salaman had supported the artist in his times of greatest need – he paid Solomon’s bail when he was arrested in 1873 and was one of the few who tried to help by providing him with clothes and money. In the days after Solomon's death, Salaman wrote; 'He was a clever artist, and at the time of his death had commissions from people in high society. Sometimes he did the work, and sometimes he didn't. His weakness for drink dragged him down'. ²

¹ A.C. Swinburne, 'Simeon Solomon: Notes on his "Vision of Love" and Other Studies', in The Dark Blue, 1 July 1871, p. 572.

² Newcastle Daily Chronicle, 19 August 1905, p. 6.