Drawing of Costume for Jitka in the First Production of the Opera Dalibor by Bedřich Smetana

Born and raised in Denmark, Geskel Salomon attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts and settled in Sweden. Known for his portraits, he also painted historical events and genre pictures. An observant Jew, Salomon painted scenes of Jewish religious practices in Scandinavia, including Lighting the Sabbath Candles (1900). He also published books on the Venus de Milo and the Apollo Belvedere. Salomon became a member of the Academy in 1872.