The Judgment of Solomon
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 15/16 × 3 1/16 in. (5 × 7.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1962
Accession Number
62.635.612
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In "The Judgment of Solomon," Georg Pencz depicts a well-known biblical episode in which King Solomon resolves a dispute between two women claiming the same infant. The scene highlights the king's wisdom as he proposes dividing the child, revealing the true mother through her protective response. The engraving's small scale and focus on figures of kings, women, and infants emphasize this dramatic moment of justice and compassion. Created as a print, the work reflects the importance of engraving in the Renaissance for sharing religious and moral stories with wider audiences. Its compact dimensions suggest it was designed for personal contemplation or inclusion in private collections rather than large public display. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints, this piece was gifted in 1962 and continues to invite viewers to reflect on themes of wisdom and fairness that have resonated across centuries.
About the Artist
Georg Pencz · 1490–1550
Comment on works: Religious; History; Portraits