The Judge Bias Shedding Tears, from Thronus Justitiae, tredecim pulcherrimus tabulis..., plate 9 1605 - 1606

Curator: This engraving, “The Judge Bias Shedding Tears,” was created between 1605 and 1606 by Willem van Swanenburg. It's plate 9 from a series called "Thronus Justitiae," and you can find it here at the Met. Editor: Whoa, heavy stuff. There’s so much swirling chaos—like a moral tempest brewed in ink. The density of figures makes my head spin... I immediately see a scene where empathy battles cold, hard justice, or maybe vice versa? Curator: I see it! It’s fascinating how Swanenburg, steeped in Mannerism, packs so much symbolism into one image. Notice the central figure of the judge, overcome with emotion, while around him swirl the instruments and figures of justice and injustice. It’s allegory turned into visual drama. Editor: And it makes me consider the production: The sheer labor in etching all those tiny, frantic lines, that meticulous detail. The choice of engraving too speaks volumes, doesn't it? Affordable reproductions allowed ideas, and potentially subversive ones at that, to circulate among the masses. Curator: Absolutely! The choice of printmaking democratized the message, giving it greater reach. It makes you think about the societal function of such imagery. Is it cautionary? Is it a commentary on the inherent contradictions of law and order? The tears are so affecting. Editor: Perhaps it questions the very foundations of power—its biases, its frailties. Think about who consumed these images then. What sort of discussions were sparked in parlors, or among scholars, around the implications of impartial judgment? The weight of responsibility hangs heavy in the scene. Curator: Right, and maybe also to see a humanized vision. Bias is integral, almost. Even the most learned Judge will give to some feeling over pure legal rigor. He feels torn from legal constraints? Editor: That emotional conflict almost breaks the stoic presentation of law, creating a tension. You almost wonder if the artist was commenting about current state in aristocracy in that period... Curator: Or timeless! It reminds me to be open to feelings. Editor: Yes, perhaps art can tear the robe off justice for all to see the sweating and burdened figure beneath!