Artwork
The Judgment of Paris
The Judgment of Paris is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Joachim Wtewael. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:by later hand, lower left in brown ink: J. Wtewael inventor; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 186
About this work
Overview
Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael’s drawing, titled The Judgment of Paris, dates to around 1615. Executed with pen and brown ink, accented by gray washes over a black‑chalk underdrawing on laid paper, the work presents a small group of nude figures arranged in a loosely defined composition. The background is essentially empty, allowing the line work and subtle shading to emphasize the human forms.
Subject & Meaning
The ambiguous arrangement suggests narrative potential without committing to a specific moment.
The scene references the mythological episode in which Paris must choose a divine bride, though the drawing does not depict the three goddesses traditionally associated with the tale. Instead, four unclothed figures are shown: a tall figure with an uplifted arm, another grasping a staff, a third reaching toward a smaller figure, and a seated individual in a contemplative pose. The ambiguous arrangement suggests narrative potential without committing to a specific moment.
Technique & Style
Wtewael employs rapid, sketch‑like contours combined with darker ink washes that create a modest sense of volume. The underlying black chalk provides a tonal foundation, while the gray washes reinforce depth in selected areas. The overall handling is expressive rather than polished, reflecting a preparatory study rather than a finished composition, yet it retains the dynamism characteristic of early Baroque drawing.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1615, the drawing belongs to the early period of Wtewael’s career, when he was active in the Dutch Republic. Its survival on laid paper indicates it was likely kept as a working sketch rather than a commercial piece. The work has entered museum collections through acquisition from private holdings, though specific ownership details remain limited in the public record.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Joachim Anthoniszoon Wtewael (Dutch pronunciation:; 1566 – 1 August 1638), also known as Uytewael (pronounced ), was a Dutch Mannerist painter and draughtsman, as well as a highly successful flax merchant, and town councillor of Utrecht.
A Bacchic frieze; below, two studies of classical ornament
Apollo with Erato and Cupid
Paris Awarding the Apple to Venus
Saint John the Baptist
Sea-nymphs playing with tritons and a man; on the left a semi-draped giant, holding a book or stone, seated on a rock; possibly Polyphemus with Acis and Galatea
Abraham wrestling with the Angel
The Adoration of the Shepherds
Apollo and the Muses on Mount Parnassus
Lot and His Daughters (recto)