Recto The Judgement of Solomon

This preliminary sketch captures the dramatic climax of the story, with an executioner holding an infant upside down by its leg while brandishing a sword. A woman, representing the true mother, reaches out in a desperate plea to save the child, while other figures observe the king's test of character. The drawing consists of light, energetic contour lines that emphasize the movement and emotional tension of the scene.

King Solomon is a foundational figure in Western esotericism, regarded in Kabbalah and the Hermetic tradition as the archetypal master of divine wisdom and the builder of the Temple. This specific scene illustrates the 'discernment of spirits' and the application of higher wisdom to reveal hidden truth, a central concern for Renaissance Neoplatonists.