Oordeel van Salomo 1782

Cornelis Brouwer created this drawing, "Oordeel van Salomo," using pen in brown and gray ink on paper. Brouwer, working in the late 18th century, presents a vision of justice and authority, set against the backdrop of the Dutch Enlightenment with its complex negotiations of power. The story of the Judgement of Solomon, where the biblical king discerns true motherhood by ordering a baby to be split in two, is laden with the negotiation of gender roles and maternal identity. Consider the emotional weight carried by the women in this scene. They are caught in a dispute where their identities as mothers and women are tested under patriarchal law. The raw emotion, the desperation of the true mother willing to relinquish her child to save its life, challenges the cold logic of power. Brouwer invites us to reflect on the intersections of power, gender, and identity. He asks us, what does it mean to seek justice in a world where the scales are already tipped? The drawing transforms the biblical narrative into a mirror, reflecting the complex dynamics of Brouwer’s time and ours.