Oordeel van Paris 1608 - 1650

Pierre Brebiette created this etching of the Judgement of Paris in the first half of the 17th century. Brebiette was working in Paris at a time when printmaking was a rapidly expanding industry, driven by the demands of publishers who sought to disseminate images as widely as possible. The image shows the shepherd Paris awarding the golden apple to Venus, judged the most beautiful by a celestial jury. Brebiette was well-versed in classical sources, and his treatment of the mythological subject would have appealed to the learned tastes of his patrons. But notice how he adds mischievous cherubs, a voyeuristic nymph, and erotic overtones that bring new life to this well-worn tale. Studying Brebiette’s world – the books he read, the company he kept, the institutions he served – provides an invaluable key to understanding the making and meaning of his art.