The Judgment of Solomon - Hans Collaert the Elder

A detailed hand-coloured engraving from the late sixteenth century depicting the biblical Judgment of Solomon, featuring precise line work and narrative composition.

This hand-coloured engraving depicts the biblical narrative of the Judgment of Solomon, a story found in the First Book of Kings. King Solomon sits centrally upon his throne, his hand extended in a gesture of authority as he prepares to resolve a dispute between two women claiming the same infant. The composition follows the conventions of sixteenth-century Flemish printmaking, with a clear division between the architectural setting and the figures in the foreground.

To the left, one woman kneels, clutching the child, while a soldier prepares to draw his sword. To the right, the second woman kneels in supplication, her posture conveying distress. The scene is populated by courtiers and guards, their garments rendered with careful attention to folds and texture. The inclusion of Latin and French inscriptions at the base provides context for the viewer, identifying the source as 3 Kings, chapter 3. The work reflects the technical precision of the Collaert family, who were active in Antwerp during a period of significant output for print publishers like Gerard de Jode, whose name appears on the plate.

The use of colour, applied by hand to the original monochrome engraving, adds a layer of visual clarity to the narrative elements. The palette is balanced, with primary tones of blue, red, and gold defining the figures against the muted architectural background. The perspective is constructed to draw the eye toward the central interaction between the King and the claimants. This print is a representative example of how religious narratives were disseminated through mass-produced imagery in the late sixteenth century, serving both as a moral lesson and a decorative object for collectors of the period.