The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 20, 2024

The Judgment of Paris

The Judgment of Paris

1602
(Dutch, 1566–1638)
Framed: 25.5 x 30.5 x 3 cm (10 1/16 x 12 x 1 3/16 in.); Unframed: 15.4 x 20.5 cm (6 1/16 x 8 1/16 in.)

Did You Know?

The artist dated and signed this work on a rock at the bottom right of the painting.

Description

The Trojan prince Paris was asked to determine which goddess was the most beautiful. Hera (tothe left of the group) offered him political power, and Athena (seen from the back), military prowess, but Paris awarded the golden apple to Venus, the goddess of love, who promised him Helen, the most beautiful mortal in the world.
  • 1984-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
    At least 1982-1984
    (Harari & Johns, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    Private collection, England?
    After 1761-?
    Probably the Marques de Fuente Hermosa, Spain
    Provenance Footnotes
    1 Anne W. Lowenthal’s 1986 catalogue raisonné indicates that the painting had been in an English private collection prior to Harari & Johns.  However, the Harari & Johns file on this painting makes no reference to an English private collection.
    2 he records of Harari & Johns indicate that the painting was originally in the collection of the Marques de Fuente Hermosa in the late 17th century.  However, the title was not created until 1761, and thus this cannot have been the case.  Additionally, as the painting was executed by Wtewael in 1602, the Marques de Fuente Hermosa could not have been the original owner.  Research into documentation confirming that the painting was in this collection is ongoing.  There are multiple early auction appearances of paintings of this subject by Wtewael, but none list the Marques de Fuente Hermosa as buyer or seller.  In any event, it is difficult to identify the CMA painting with certainty in these auctions because there are at least six identified versions and copies of the painting.  The Fuente de Hermosa collection is likely the Spanish private collection mentioned in CMA’s file on the painting.  
  • Lowenthal, Anne W. Joachim Wtewael and Dutch Mannerism. Doornspijk, The Netherlands: Davaco, 1986.
    Turner, Evan H. "The Year in Review for 1984." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 72, no. 2 (1985): 163-207. Referenced: cat. no. 22, p. 201, Reproduced: p. 190 www.jstor.org
    "1993 Annual Report." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 81, no. 6 (1994): 143-218. Mentioned: p. 170 www.jstor.org
    Chong, Alan, "Beauty Revealed", Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 35 no. 01, January 1995 Mentioned & reproduced: 8-9 archive.org
  • Year in Review for 1984. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 3-May 5, 1985).
  • {{cite web|title=The Judgment of Paris|url=false|author=Joachim Anthoniz Wtewael|year=1602|access-date=20 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1984.14