The Building of the Tabernacle
by STALBEMT, Adriaen van, Oil on copper, 38 x 50 cm
The painting depicts the building of the tabernacle with the Israelites sewing the curtains. The tabernacle was the portable earthly dwelling place of Yahweh among the children of Israel from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan. It was built of woven layers of curtains.
The main source for the account of the construction of the tabernacle is the biblical Book of Exodus, specifically Exodus 25-31 and 35-40.