Judgment of Solomon after 20

Curator: This bronze plaquette, around 17 centimeters in diameter, depicts "The Judgment of Solomon," an anonymous work held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Its circular form and raised relief give it a tactile quality. Editor: It's such a dramatic scene, isn't it? The figures are so expressive, conveying a real sense of anguish and moral tension. Curator: Absolutely. The composition places Solomon centrally, presiding over the would-be infanticide, reflecting the socio-political emphasis on patriarchal power during the time it was made. Editor: I'm struck by how the artist uses the female form to express vulnerability and defiance. The woman kneeling, arms outstretched, embodies a maternal resistance against the very real threat of violence sanctioned by the state. Curator: It’s compelling to consider how the history of representing power intersects with gendered experiences of justice. Editor: Precisely, and even today, the plaquette serves as a potent reminder of how legal and social systems can be used to perpetuate inequality. Curator: It makes you consider whose stories are elevated and whose are silenced within historical narratives. Editor: Indeed, and I feel that by examining this artwork through a contemporary lens, we can foster critical dialogue around the ongoing struggle for equity.