Vrede en Gerechtigheid 1577

This is an engraving, likely from 1577, titled ‘Vrede en Gerechtigheid’ or ‘Peace and Justice’ by Jacques de Gheyn. The composition is strikingly symmetrical. In the center, Justice sits enthroned, flanked by figures representing virtues and facing scenes of turmoil and harmony. The artist uses a clear division between light and shadow to guide our eyes across the image and underscore the conceptual themes. Look how the linear precision of the engraving brings a sense of order, yet the dramatic poses and detailed textures evoke the period's complex political and religious landscape. The balance suggests an aspiration for harmony, but the sharp contrasts and the densely packed figures might destabilize such idealized notions. The piece is less a straightforward endorsement of ‘peace and justice’ and more of an exploration of their fraught relationship within a society marked by conflict. In its structure and detail, the artwork invites us to consider the interplay of power, ethics, and representation in a world far from simple.