Who painted The Judgment of Solomon?

The Judgment of Solomon was painted by Willem van Swanenburgh in 1600.

Where can I see The Judgment of Solomon?

The Judgment of Solomon is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Judgment of Solomon?

The Judgment of Solomon is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Judgment of Solomon?

Museum-quality prints of The Judgment of Solomon are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Judgment of Solomon

Willem van Swanenburgh , 1600

The Judgment of Solomon is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Willem van Swanenburgh. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left in plate: Wtewael inventor: CSwanenvelt scul: C.V. Sichem excudit / 11; lower center: 3. Regum. 3.; Contendere duce Salomis sub judice matres... / ...Fraus mala, maternus non simlatur amor.

About this work

Overview

The composition is framed by towering columns and a distant urban skyline, populated by onlookers whose gestures range from pointing to kneeling.

Willem van Swanenburgh’s engraving, dated around 1600, presents the biblical episode of Solomon’s judgment. Executed on laid paper, the print captures a bustling interior where the king, seated on an elevated throne, holds a infant while two women dispute its maternity. The composition is framed by towering columns and a distant urban skyline, populated by onlookers whose gestures range from pointing to kneeling.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates the famed test of Solomon’s wisdom, in which the monarch proposes to divide the child between two claimants, thereby revealing the true mother’s compassion. By placing the king at the center, the work emphasizes the authority of judicious rule and the moral lesson that true parenthood is demonstrated through self‑sacrifice rather than entitlement.

Technique & Style

Van Swanenburgh employs fine, intersecting lines to model light and shadow, creating a sense of depth across the crowded space. The engraving’s sharp hatching produces textured surfaces on the drapery, stone columns, and distant architecture, while the contrast between illuminated figures and darker background enhances the dramatic tension of the narrative moment.

History & Provenance

Created in the early seventeenth century, the print belongs to a period when Dutch engravers frequently reproduced biblical and historical subjects for a broad audience. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in several European print collections, reflecting its circulation among collectors interested in religious iconography and the technical skill of Dutch printmaking.