Feast of Masqual

George Sandwith, circa 1941-1955, England, Gift of Mr George Sandwith 1955. During the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936-1941), Sandwith served with the East African Forces. He was sent on expedition to Addis Ababa in 1941 were he met Belachew Yimer. Over a period of two years Belachew produced various paintings several at the request of Sandwith. On his departure, Sandwith took with him a total of seventeen paintings by the artist, including both contemporary and earlier dated works. 'Solomon and the Queen of the South' was one of these seventeen paintings. Sandwith on his return to London had all works photographed and mounted at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Records state that Sandwith's attempts at finding a suitable institution in the United Kingdom for these works was unsuccessful. Although the details of the acquisition are unknown, it is likely that Sandwith commissioned Belachew to paint this representation of this annual feast held on 18th August, celebrating the finding of the true cross of Christ at Jerusalem by Helena, Saint and Empress, mother of the Emperor Constantine the Great.