Jewish art
Jean Valentin de Boulogne, The Judgement of Solomon (1625)
The Jewish Bible is a book that offers mythological origins and interpretation of the pre-Roman history of the nations of the Levant. It is full of intense character interaction, conflict and powerful emotions. Moreover, Biblical scenes have been used for centuries as examples of good and bad behavior, and became familiar to the majority of the people in western world. Many artists were inspired by Biblical scenes, many created illustrations of them, many were commissioned such illustrations, and these scenes offered convenient reference material for depiction of extreme emotional conditions. David defeating Goliaph, Delilah cutting off Samson’s magical hair, Lot being raped by his daughters, Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac, all these and many more Biblical scenes have been reimagined by the artists many times.
For a featured example, I chose the Judgement of Solomon, a famous scene from 1 Kings 3:16-28, where a prostitute accidentally killed her infant son and switched it for another prostitute’s son of the same age. The other woman discovered the switch and demanded her son back, and both came to the king for the judgement. Solomon ordered the living child to be cut in half, so that each woman receives one half. One woman cried to spare the boy’s life and to give him to the other instead, while the other approved of the decision. Solomon then awarded the child to the woman who cared for his life. Like most biblical stories, this may be nothing but a metaphor, but it’s been inspirational for many generations of people who read about the wisdom of the last king of the prehistoric jewish monarchy.
Incidentally, did you ever notice that the wisest person to have ever lived, King Solomon, was also the last king to encourage and even practice worship of the semitic gods besides the Israel’s national god?