Rubens' circle, The Judgment of Solomon_x000D_ 17th... Lot 12

Rubens' circle, The Judgment of Solomon_x000D_ 17th century_x000D_ oil on canvas, within coeval antique frame_x000D_ cm 106x130_x000D_ _x000D_ The painting offered here for auction depicts the episode of the Judgment of King Solomon, taken from the Book of Kings in the Old Testament (I Kings 3:16-28)._x000D_ Known as the ultimate example of wisdom and justice, King Solomon was called upon by two child-bearers to determine who among them held reason. The infant of one of the two women, who lived in the same house, had accidentally died. So, both claimed motherhood of the living infant, accusing each other of having given birth to the other._x000D_ King Solomon's sense of justice led him to order that the live baby be divided into two, so that each of the women could have one half. This order provoked the reaction of one of the two mothers who refused the verdict, begging that the child be given alive and whole to the other, thus saving his life. Through this reaction Solomon realized which of the two was the true mother._x000D_ The work is derived from the painting in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen depicting the 'Judgement of Solomon' by Rubens and his workshop (Inv. No. KMSsp185)._x000D_ Conservation status: in ultraviolet light the painting shows no traces of restoration. The canvas, which has not been re-lined, has some holes and scattered color falls.