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The Judgement of Paris
William Etty·1826
Historical Context
The Judgement of Paris, painted in 1826 and now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, depicts the Trojan prince choosing Venus as the most beautiful goddess — a subject that sanctioned the display of three female nudes in competitive beauty. This classic mythological subject, treated by Rubens, Cranach, and countless others, was perfectly suited to Etty's artistic interests. The painting dates from shortly after his return from Venice, and the warm, luminous palette reflects his fresh absorption of Venetian colorism. The Lady Lever Art Gallery, built by the soap magnate William Lever in the model village of Port Sunlight, houses an important collection of Victorian and pre-Raphaelite art alongside older European paintings.
Technical Analysis
Etty's warm, Venetian-influenced palette creates glowing flesh tones that are the painting's primary visual interest. The rich impasto and fluid brushwork demonstrate his mastery of oil painting technique, developed through intensive study of Old Masters in European collections.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the three nude goddesses in competitive beauty for Paris's judgment — a classic mythological subject sanctioning the display of varied female forms treated by Rubens, Cranach, and Renoir.
- ◆Look at the warm, Venetian-influenced palette creating glowing flesh tones that are the painting's primary visual interest.
- ◆Observe the rich impasto and fluid brushwork demonstrating Etty's mastery of oil technique in this 1826 Lady Lever Art Gallery painting.
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