Oordeel van Salomo 1765 - 1794

Pierre Viel created this print, "Oordeel van Salomo," using engraving techniques. Engraving is a meticulous, labor-intensive process, involving cutting lines into a metal plate, which then holds ink to be transferred to paper. This image, with its high level of detail and tonal range, demonstrates the skill required. Think about the artist's hand, guiding the engraving tool to produce such fine lines, and the time it must have taken to complete. The story depicted—King Solomon's judgment—gains resonance when considered alongside the labor and material invested in its creation. The print, accessible to a wider audience than a painting, disseminates the values embedded in the narrative: wisdom, justice, and discernment. This contrast between the high-minded subject and the quotidian process of printmaking challenges our notions of fine art versus craft. It reminds us that even the loftiest ideas are grounded in material reality and human effort.