The Judgement of Paris
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1700 - 1799
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
605 x 987 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Felbrigg, Norfolk
NT 1401259
Caption
This famous classical myth shows Paris, a shepherd, judging three naked goddesses. The contestants are: Juno, with her peacocks; Minerva, with her armour; and Venus, with her son, Cupid, who here sits on Minerva’s shield. Each of the contestants bribed Paris with dazzling prizes, but he awarded the golden apple to Venus, who rewarded him with the love of any woman he chose. The tragic consequences of his love for Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta, could not be foreseen, and resulted in the Trojan Wars. This awkward composition is painted in a mixture of styles – French and Flemish. However, it is probably a crude, English adaptation of a painting by a foreign artist.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Judgement of Paris by British (English) School, 18th century.. Classical nude group with Paris seated, offering the golden apple to Venus who stands next to Minerva and Juno with two cherubs. Rocks in background with 2 peacocks.
Provenance
Part of the Windham Collection. The hall and contents were bequeathed to the National Trust in 1969 by Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer (1906-1969)
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist previously catalogued as attributed to Francis Hayman, RA (Exeter 1708 – London 1776), artist