King David presenting the sceptre to Solomon

This picture is one of three known works painted by de Vos as part of a decorative scheme, which was probably made up of six in all. The other two known paintings from this group include, David giving advice to Solomon on his death bed and David playing the harp (fig. 1). A second son was born to David and Bathsheba, and was called Solomon. When the King grew old, weary and secluded, the question of the succession to the throne became a pressing one. With Amnon and Absalom both dead, the handsome Adonijah was the next in the line, and was regarded as the likely heir to the throne. Adonijah decided to assert his claim without waiting for the king's death. He was encouraged by Joab the commander-in-chief, and Abiathar the high priest, two of the leading men in the kingdom. They had served David from his early days. Now they wanted to ensure a smooth transition of power, and forestall the claims of Bathsheba for her son Solomon, a much younger prince. Assured of such powerful support, Adonijah went ahead. He invited his princely brothers and the city notables to a feast at the spring of En-rogel, down in the valley of Kidron outside the city walls. Here he performed ceremonial sacrifices on the sacred Serpent's Stone. Solomon was not invited to take part, were Nathan the prophet, Zadok the other high priest, and Benaiah, the captain of the royal guard, all of whom were thought to be associated witih Bathsheba's designs. This opposition party reacted swiftly. Bathsheba still retained a strong hold on David, and free access to him. Prompted by Nathan, she entered the king's chamber and told him Adonijah was at the moment usurping the throne he had promised her would go to her son Solomon. David should announce his own successor. Nathan appeared and supported Bathsheba. David decided the time had come for him to abdicate in favour of the sagacious young Solomon. He instructed Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah to take the youth on the king's own mule down to the spring of Gihon, also in the valley of Kidron, have him annointed. They did so, accompanied by a host of people. When the noise of the crowd rejoicing at the coronation reached Adonijah's company further along the valley, and they learnt that Solomon had already replaced David as king, the guests hurriedly returned to their homes. Adonijah sought sanctuary at the altar, and was spared by Solomon for the time being. The struggle for the succession was over the same day it had begun. On his deathbed, David imparted his last wishes to Solomon 'I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man'.

Cornelis de Vos was the son of Jan de Vos and Elisabeth van den Broeck and a brother of the painters Hans and Paul de Vos. He was also Frans Snyders's brother-in-law. Like his brothers, he was a pupil of Davis Remeeus in Antwerp between 1599 and 1604. From 1604 to 1608, he undertook a study tour. In 1608, he became Master in the Antwerp guild of Saint Luke. He taught several pupils including Simon de Vos (1615) and Willem Eversdyck (1633). In 1616, he became an Antwerp citizen. That year, he went to Paris to sell paintings at the fair of Saint Germain and he returned there in 1623. On 27 May 1617, in Antwerp, he married Suzanne Cock by whom he had six children born between 1618 and 1632. In 1619 he became Dean of the Antwerp guild and again in 1620/21. In 1635 he contributed with Jacob Jordaens under Peter Paul Rubens's direction to the decorative scheme for the Triumphal entry of Cardinal Infant Ferdinand into Antwerp, his contribution was the painting for the Arch of Philippus. In 1637, he worked on several paintings after Rubens' sketches for the Torre de la Parada, Philip IV's hunting lodge near Madrid. Cornelis was mostly active as a portraitist. He was inspired by Rubens and the young Jordaens but his art was more intimate.