Oordeel van Salomo

About this artwork

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Art Historical Context

Heinrich Aldegrever's *Oordeel van Salomo*Judgment of Solomon), in 1555, the dramatic biblical tale from the Old Testament where King Solomon wisely resolves a dispute between two women claiming the same infant by suggesting it be divided in two. The true mother reveals herself by pleading for the child's life, showcasing Solomon's legendary discernment. This engraving, measuring just 113 mm high by 79 mm wide, exemplifies Aldegrever's as one of the "Little Masters"—a group of 16th-century German engravers renowned for their intricate work on small scales. As a leading figure in the Northern Renaissance, Aldegrever, a goldsmith-turned-printmaker from Soest, Germany, produced this piece during a time when engravings served as affordable vehicles for moral and religious instruction. The medium's fine lines, incised into a copper plate and inked for printing, allowed for exceptional detail in clothing textures, expressive faces, and architectural elements, making complex narratives accessible to a wide audience beyond the elite. Culturally, the work reflects Reformation-era interests in biblical justice and human folly, circulating ideas through prints that rivaled paintings in impact. Visitors will appreciate how Aldegrever packs profound ethical drama into this diminutive gem, inviting closer inspection of its technical virtuosity.

About the Artist

Heinrich Aldegrever · 1502–1561

Heinrich Aldegrever, born in 1502 in Paderborn, Westphalia, to parents Herman and Katherine Trippenmeker—a family of clog-makers known by the dialect name Trippenmecker—emerged as a multifaceted artist in the German Renaissance. His early training remains undocumented, though he likely apprenticed in a Soest goldsmith's workshop after relocating there around 1525, where he joined the painters' gui...