Judge Bias Shedding Tears, plate 9 from Thrones of Justice (Thronus Iustitiae)
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 30 × 39 cm (11 13/16 × 15 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
268608
Art Historical Context
In the early 17th century, engraver Willem van Swanburgh crafted *Judge Bias Shedding Tears plate 9 from the *Thrones of Justice (Thronus Iustitiae)* in 1606. This print personifies judicial corruption, depicting a tearful figure of Bias—a symbol of partiality—amidst allegorical elements critiquing the flaws in legal authority. Produced during the Dutch Golden Age, when emblematic prints often served as moral commentaries, the work reflects the era's fascination with justice, virtue, and vice, drawing from Renaissance traditions of satire and instruction. Van Swanenburgh's mastery shines in t...