The Judge Bias Shedding Tears, from Thronus Justitiae, tredecim pulcherrimus tabulis..., plate 9
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 11 11/16 × 15 1/4 in. (29.7 × 38.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1956
Accession Number
56.597.40(11)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age's, *The Judge Bias Shedding Tears* (plate 9 from *Thronus Justitiae, tredecim pulchimus tabulis...*, 1605–6) offered a sharp moral commentary on justice. Designed by Mannerist master Joachim Wtewael masterfully engraved by Willem van Swanenburg and Christel van Sichem I, this print allegorizes a corrupt judge overcome by emotion—shedding tears amid symbols of power like weapons and musical instruments, surrounded by men and women. Part of a 13-plate series titled "Throne of Justice," it critiques bias in the judiciary, reflecting the era's fascin...