Christus und die Ehebrecherin 

Philips Koninck made this ink drawing, "Christus und die Ehebrecherin", in the 17th century. Koninck, working amidst the Dutch Golden Age, engages with themes of morality, judgment, and social standing, using a biblical narrative. The scene depicts the story from the Gospel of John where Jesus is confronted with a woman accused of adultery. According to religious law, she should be stoned. Koninck captures the tense moment as the woman kneels before Jesus, awaiting her fate, surrounded by accusers ready to judge. This work isn't just a rendering of a religious story, it is an exploration of gender, power and social justice. The woman is being used as a pawn, a symbol of societal hypocrisy. In this time period, the legal and moral codes often disproportionately affected women, particularly concerning sexuality. This drawing pushes us to reflect on how society historically and currently treats and judges women and how these judgments intersect with class and religious structures. It encourages us to contemplate the complexities of mercy, justice, and the courage to challenge prevailing norms.