Het oordeel van Salomo

This is an engraving of ‘The Judgement of Solomon’ by the mysterious Monogrammist SAF. The biblical story of King Solomon's wisdom unfolds before us within an elaborate architectural setting. Images like these were produced in sixteenth century Europe. They tell us something about how power was perceived and what kind of virtues were seen as desirable in a leader. Solomon’s judgement was a popular subject for artists because it demonstrated his cleverness and ability to see through deception. The artist, Monogrammist SAF, chose to focus on Solomon's judgement in a very specific way. He placed the figures in a classical architectural space. What was the cultural significance of this? Well, classical architecture was often associated with justice, wisdom, and legitimate authority. To understand this engraving better, we can look at the history of the courts of law and the settings in which judgements were dispensed. Doing so will allow us to explore the ways that power is constructed through images.