The Judgement of Paris

The German artist Johann Rottenhammer (1564-1625) depicts a tense moment from classical mythology in which an important decision is being made, a choice that would sow discord and later start a brutal war. The messenger god Mercury, recognisable by his winged helmet and serpentine staff, has brought three goddesses to the shepherd, Paris. Seated in a leafy landscape, Paris is about to present a golden apple to Venus, goddess of love, who – with clothing cast off – has competed alongside Minerva and Juno to be deemed the fairest. Venus' victory was achieved through her promising to Paris the most beautiful woman in the world – Helen of Troy. Despite the tranquillity of this countryside setting, Juno would later fly into a jealous rage, sparking the Trojan War. Shimmering on the hazy horizon line are the rooftops of a distant city, evoking Troy and the conflict to come.   

Born and trained in the German city of Munich, Rottenhammer became one of the most eminent German painters active in Italy. He spent time in Rome until around 1595/6 and then travelled north to Venice where he remained until 1606, influenced by the masters of that city such as Tintoretto (1518-94). It was likely in Venice that Rottenhammer painted the Judgement of Paris, a theme to which he frequently returned. The vibrant colour palette of blue, green and pink draws from Rottenhammer’s experiences in Venice, the city’s artists famed for their virtuosity with colour. The Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was inspired by Rottenhammer’s Judgement of Paris in an oil sketch on copper of the same subject, today in the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna.