Judgment of Solomon
1782
This dramatic scene captures the ultimate biblical custody battle: the Judgment of Solomon. King Solomon sits high on his throne, looking calm as two women argue fiercely below him—one kneeling in pleading desperation, the other standing and pointing accusingly—while a lifeless infant lies on the steps, a grim reminder of the stakes. Although you can see the signature '1515 L' in the bottom corner (referring to the original Renaissance master Lucas van Leyden), this artwork is actually an 18th-century tribute by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. He was a Dutch artist and collector so obsessed with preserving old master drawings that he invented a special printing technique to create perfect replicas that looked just like the original ink and wash sketches.