Artwork
The judgment of Paris
The judgment of Paris is a paint painting by Luca Giordano. It dates from 1679 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Luca Giordano’s oil painting titled *The Judgment of Paris* dates from around 1679 and is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The composition places a seated male figure on a rocky outcrop amid a pastoral landscape, surrounded by various animals and three female figures, one of whom is depicted nude. A solitary tree and a cloud‑filled sky frame the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work references the mythological episode in which Paris must choose the most beautiful goddess, though Giordano’s interpretation emphasizes a tranquil, almost genre‑like setting rather than a dramatic narrative climax. The presence of domestic animals such as dogs, goats and a ram suggests a bucolic atmosphere, while the three women hint at the contest’s participants, inviting contemplation of beauty and choice.
Technique & Style
The illumination falls on the central male figure and the nude woman, creating a focal point, while the surrounding foliage and sky recede into softer tones.
Giordano employs pronounced chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures and give them a three‑dimensional presence. The illumination falls on the central male figure and the nude woman, creating a focal point, while the surrounding foliage and sky recede into softer tones. This handling of light contributes to a sense of depth and a subtle theatricality characteristic of late Baroque painting.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1679, the painting entered the German capital’s Gemäldegalerie collection, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Giordano aligns with the artist’s prolific output during his Roman period, when he produced numerous mythological scenes for both private patrons and public institutions.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Giordano was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Giordano was one of the most celebrated artists of the Neapolitan Baroque, whose vast output included altarpieces, mythological paintings and…
Paris's Judgement
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Paris' dom
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Autumn
Paris' dom
Bacchus og Ariadne sidder sammen i et landskab omgivne af amoriner, bacchantinder og satyrer
Bacchus og Ariadne sidder sammen i et landskab omgivne af amoriner, bacchantinder og satyrer
A Gathering of Gods
Bacchus and Ariadne