The Judgment of Solomon 

Gustave Doré made this print of the Judgment of Solomon during the 19th century. Its impact derives from the artist's skill with the technique of wood engraving. Consider how Doré has marshaled the effects of light and shadow, built from thousands of tiny cuts into the surface of the woodblock. The artisan who translated Doré’s original drawing onto the block would have needed to be exceptionally skilled, capable of rendering a highly complex composition into a matrix for printing. The lines are thin and dense to convey the atmosphere of the scene with all its drama. Prints like these were intended for wide distribution, illustrating popular editions of literary classics, or, as here, the Bible. The image thus straddles the line between art and industry. Appreciating the labor and expertise that went into its making allows us to move beyond the simple question of aesthetics. Instead, we can consider the social world of 19th-century print culture.