Het oordeel van Salomo 1581 - 1638

"Het oordeel van Salomo" (The Judgment of Solomon) is a preparatory drawing by Dutch painter Paulus Moreelse, created between 1581 and 1638. It depicts a scene from the Bible, where King Solomon resolves a dispute between two women claiming to be the mother of the same child. Moreelse's drawing, held at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, is a preliminary study for a larger painting. The composition of the scene is indicated by loose lines, allowing for a more dynamic and spontaneous quality. This drawing demonstrates the artist's keen observation of human anatomy and his ability to depict complex emotions through gestural lines.