The work plays with the Latin expression "De asini umbra disceptare" – “to argue about a donkey’s shadow,” a phrase describing a pointless or absurd dispute. In this composition, the figure of Justice is cast into the shade of a donkey — both literally and metaphorically — challenging our perception of authority, rationality, and the weight we give to seemingly serious arguments.
The contrasting palette of red, white, and muted grey-blue strengthens the symbolic opposition between characters. The donkey — often a symbol of simplicity and stubbornness — becomes the unexpected source of dominance, while Justice, with her scales and sword, is reduced to a shadow.
The painting also evokes English idioms like “at loggerheads” or plays on the double meaning of “ass” as a symbol of both foolishness and stubborn conflict. The result is a visual metaphor for debates that lose sight of substance and descend into farce.