Foute Rechtvaardigheid 1721 - 1771

Jeremias Wachsmuth created this print, "Foute Rechtvaardigheid", using etching, offering a commentary on justice in the 18th-century Netherlands. Here, the figure of Justice isn't a blindfolded woman impartially weighing evidence. Instead, she is revealed as a bare-breasted woman, actively manipulating the scales of justice. The scales are fixed on a child, likely representing innocence. Her sword is pointed downwards toward the child, signifying a cruel system of law. The figures behind her are also active agents of ‘foute’ or wrong 'Rechtvaardigheid' - justice. Wachsmuth's etching critiques the institutions of law and governance in his time. By employing recognizable allegorical figures, he questions the supposed objectivity of justice, suggesting it is instead influenced by external factors. To fully understand Wachsmuth's critique, consider the political and social context of the Dutch Republic, and look at how these symbols were typically used. The Rijksmuseum's records and other archives can illuminate the debates surrounding justice and governance during this period. This artwork challenges us to reflect on whose interests are served by the institutions of power.