Het oordeel van Paris 1626

Gerard ter Borch, created this ink drawing, "The Judgement of Paris," in 1626. The composition is immediately striking, defined by a constellation of figures arranged in a semi-circle. Note how the artist uses contrasting line work to differentiate between characters, with soft lines defining female figures, while the male figures are given more definition. This sharp contrast in line work destabilizes conventional notions of gender. Observe the gaze that links Hermes and Paris and Aphrodite, which is contrasted by the other goddesses who do not engage with the figures. This reinforces a hierarchy that posits male agency with female subjectification. The spatial organization invites us to analyze the structural relationships that give the drawing meaning, a kind of theatre with symbolic figures representing philosophical ideas about beauty, choice, and consequence. This drawing prompts questions rather than answers, inviting us to engage actively with its complex visual language.