Molière voor de rechters van Pluto 1683

This engraving, "Molière before the Judges of Pluto," was made by Jacobus Harrewijn. Notice how the stark contrast between light and shadow carves out the dramatic scene. It draws us into a realm where the earthly meets the infernal. The composition is structured around a theatrical space. The foreground is occupied by the ghostly silhouette of Molière and his contemporaries, while the court of Pluto looms in the background. Harrewijn uses linear perspective to create depth, leading our eye from the detailed figures in the foreground to the more vaguely defined underworld. The materiality of the engraving—fine lines etched into metal—contributes to the ethereal quality of the image. The scene destabilizes the boundary between life and death. It asks us to consider the enduring power of art and the judgment of posterity.