displeased them. That the depiction is particularly widespread in the 16th and 17th centuries is perhaps not coincidental, since the story emphasizes the power of the princes to appoint and depose judges at will. Another interpretation is that the depictions of Cambyses' judgement reflect the then common view that earthly justice is fallible while only divine justice dispensed by the Christian God can provide ultimate fairness. The Judgment of Cambyses in art The story of the corrupt Sisamnes inspired various Northern artists in the 15th to 17th centuries, including Gerard David, Antoon Claeissens, Joachim Wtewael, Martin Hermann Faber, Claes Jacobsz van der Heck, Jan Tengnagel, Dirck Vellert and Rubens. Visual illustrations of the story first appeared in manuscripts and prints such as Hans Sebald Beham's The Judgement of Cambyses (1542) which was part of the frontispiece of Justinus Göbler's publication Der Gerichtlich Prozeß (The judicial process). It was later rendered in paintings, sculptures and stained glass. Many of these artworks were commissioned by the civilian authorities to be hung in the places where in that period justice was dispensed, such as the aldermen's chambers of city halls or courts of justice. These depictions of the Sisamnes story served as examples of justice (in Latin exampla iustitiae) to the judges who could take them as examples or exhortation to perform their task with fairness and severity. Most of the depictions represent the moment at which Otanes takes his father's seat on which the skin of his father is draped while the king admonishes him standing in front of him. Some depictions omit Cambyses and concentrate solely on Otanes as an impartial judge. Gerard David was one of the first Northern artists to take Sisamnes' fate as the subject of his dyptich The Judgement of Cambyses which he completed in 1498. It was commissioned by the aldermen of Bruges to be hung in the aldermen's chamber in the Bruges City Hall. The left panel of the dyptich called The Arrest of Sisamnes shows In the background Sisamnes accepting a bribe while in the foreground king Cambyses passes judgement on the corrupt judge who is seated in his judge's chair. The right panel called The Flaying of Sisamnes depicts in graphic detail the judge being flayed alive with the King Cambyses along with members of the court and public looking on. In the background is a smaller scene showing the young judge sitting