Wooden trays, usually painted on both sides, were often commissioned to mark a child’s birth, heralding future prosperity. Covered with a cloth and loaded with sweets and fruits, these trays were carried into the mother’s bedchamber as an offering of sustenance and celebration—and afterwards kept as heirlooms. The Queen of Sheba and Soloman, king of Israe, were renowned for their wealth and exchanged lavish gifts when they met. This scene, which emphasizes ornate architecture and courtly costumes, contrasts with the cruder execution, perhaps by an assistant, on the image on the back of the tray.

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