De gerechtigheid van Trajanus
Meester van de Dood van Absalom
1475 - 1500
Medium
bronze (metal)
Dimensions
5.7; 3.6; 0.2
About this artwork
height 3.6 cm x width 5.7 cm x depth 0.2 cm
Art Historical Context
Nestled among the treasures of late medieval sculpture, *De gerechtigheid van Trajanus* (The Justice of Trajanus) is a delicate bronze relief crafted by the enigmatic Meester van de Dood van Absalom, an anonymous Netherlandish master active between 1475 and 1500. This tiny masterpiece, measuring just 3.6 cm high, 5.7 cm wide, and a mere 0.2 cm deep, captures a pivotal moment from the legend of Emperor Trajan. In the story, the Roman ruler famously upholds justice by punishing a nobleman who killed a widow's son, sacrificing his imperial cloak to bind the offender—a tale beloved in medieval Eur...