The Judgement of Paris

The Judgement of Paris

Title

The Judgement of Paris

[Cat. Karlsruhe 1966, 91]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein, Report 1992]
[Cat. Karlsruhe 1966, 91]

Paris sits on a stone wearing magnificent armour and appears to have just been woken by Hermes. Hermes is depicted as a barefooted old man in golden armour with a crystal ball. He bends down to Paris. Three nude Goddesses present themselves in varying poses next to the messenger of

Paris sits on a stone wearing magnificent armour and appears to have just been woken by Hermes. Hermes is depicted as a barefooted old man in golden armour with a crystal ball. He bends down to Paris. Three nude Goddesses present themselves in varying poses next to the messenger of the Gods. Their nakedness is emphasised rather than concealed by thin veils. A spring arises from beneath the stone on which Paris sits, behind him is a tree to which he has bound his horse. The horse appears as surprised by the encounter as his master. Cupid appears in the upper left corner, ready to shoot his arrow.

[Görres, cda 2012]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Karlsruhe 1966, 91] [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 76]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Ameseder 1910, 65ff.]

Production date
1530

Production date

1530

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 35 x 23.7 x 0.5-1.3 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 35 x 23.7 x 0.5-1.3 cm

  • (trimmed slightly along the upper edge, revese in original condition)

  • [Heydenreich, cda 2011]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent and date '1530'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent and date '1530'

  • [Cat. Karlsruhe 1966, 91]

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: - top centre: 'A (?) 110' in black paint

  • centre, left: printed white label with a …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - top centre: 'A (?) 110' in black paint

    • centre, left: printed white label with a frame and type script:
  • 'Cranach-Ausstellung 1937

  • Deutsches Museum Berlin [printed]

  • Karlsruhe, Badische Kunsthalle, Hans Thomastr. 2

  • Das Parisurteil' [type script, title underlined]

    • bottom left: printed yellow label with a black frame and handwritten annotations:
  • 'Badische Kunsthalle Karlsruhe Inv. Nr. 109 [number handwritten]

  • Cranach L. [handwritten]

  • Geprüft 1935. [last figure and dot handwritten]

  • Parisurteil [handwritten]

    • bottom, centre: remains of a red wax seal, probably the baden-saxon-lauenburg alliance coat-of-arms
  • [Görres, cda 2012]

Owner
Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Repository
Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Location
Karlsruhe
CDA ID
DE_SKK_0109
FR (1978) Nr.
FR255
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKK_0109/

Provenance

  • the collection of Margravine Sibylla Augusta of Baden-Baden (Inventory 1691) from the inheritance of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg in the castle of Theusing, Bohemia (Inventar Theusing, Nr. 42)
    [Renner 1941, 62, 186, pl. 4][1]
    [Gnirs 1933, 163 ff.][1]
  • in the 18th century in the castle of Rastatt (Inventory from 1772, fol. 202r)
  • in 1832 transferred from there to the Kunsthalle

[1][Cat. Karlsruhe 1966, 91]
[Kunsthalle Karlsruhe,revised 2012]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, no. 76
St. Gallen 1947, no. 8
Mannheim 1947/48, no. 10
Karlsruhe 1955, no. 295

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 36, 142 under no. 2
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Bonnet, Görres 2015 60-61 19 p. 61
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Daniel Görres
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. - Maler der Deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 134, Fn. 109
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Werner 2015 B 169 5
AuthorElke Anna Werner
TitleFehlurteile. Das Urteil des Paris von Lucas Cranach d. Ä. (ehem. im Gotischen Haus Wörlitz) und seine Forschungsgeschichte
Publicationin Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz, ed., Cranach im Gotischen Haus in Wörlitz, Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages163-170
Bonnet, Kopp-Schmidt, Görres 2010 172-173 19
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Gabriele Kopp-Schmidt, Daniel Görres
TitleDie Malerei der deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2010
Hinz 2010 B 49
AuthorBerthold Hinz
TitleAktmalerei bei Cranach. Ein neuer Geschäftszweig
Publicationin Guido Messling, ed., Die Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys, Exhib. Cat. Brussels
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Pages42-53
Widmaier-Picasso 2005 66, 67, 76 Fn. 3, 18 Fig. 6
AuthorDiana Widmaier-Picasso
TitlePicasso und Cranach der Ältere. Kunst als Lebenskraft
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages64-77
Koepplin 2003 C 153-155 Fig. 56
AuthorDieter Koepplin
TitleEin Cranach-Prinzip
Publicationin Heinz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne, Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Pages144-165
Spielmann 9, 10 Fig. 5
AuthorHeinz Spielmann
TitleCranach als Parameter
Publicationin Heiz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach Glaube Mythologie und Maderne , Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Pages6-11
Hinz 1994 B 176, 177 Fig. A119
AuthorBerthold Hinz
TitleSinnwidrig zusammengestellte Fabrikate? Zur Varianten-Praxis der Cranach-Werkstatt
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages174-179
Klein 1994 A 196, 199 Tabs. 4, 8
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleLucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages194-200
Schade, Schuttwolf 1994 25
AuthorWerner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleMalerei und Plastik
Publicationin Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages15-94
Cat. Karlsruhe 1988 54
Title150 Gemälde vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
Year of Publication1988
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 255
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Schade 1974 84 pl. 155
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Cat. Karlsruhe 1966 91 109
AuthorJan Lauts
TitleStaatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe. Katalog Alter Meister bis 1800
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
Year of Publication1966
Cat. Karlsruhe 1964 40
Authorn. a.
TitleAltdeutsche Meister aus der Staatlichen Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
IssueRevised edition
Year of Publication1964
Ruhmer 1963 25f. pl. 37
AuthorEberhard Ruhmer
TitleCranach
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1963
Cat. Karlsruhe 1958 41
Authorn. a.
TitleAltdeutsche Meister aus der Staatlichen Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
Year of Publication1958
Lauts 1957 13, 25, 44 33 pl. 37
AuthorJan Lauts
TitleMeisterwerke der Staatlichen Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Place of PublicationHonnef/Rhine
Year of Publication1957
Renner 1941 62, 186 pl. 4
AuthorAnna Maria Renner
TitleDie Kunstinventare der Markgrafen von Baden-Baden
Place of PublicationBühl-Baden
Year of Publication1941
Winkler 1941 A p. 155
AuthorFriedrich Horst Winkler
TitleAltdeutsche Tafelmalerei
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1941
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 32 076 Pl. 65
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Gnirs 1933 163 ff.
AuthorGnirs
TitleHandbuch der sudetendeutschen Kulturgeschichte. Bd.8: Topographie der historischen und kunstgeschichtlichen Denkmale in dem Bezirke Karlsbad
SeriesHandbuch der sudetendeutschen Kulturgeschichte
Volume8
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication1933
Seiffert-Wattenberg 1933 148
AuthorRichard Seiffert-Wattenberg
TitleDeutsche Malerei bis Holbein
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1933
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 68 210 210
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Singer 1925 17
AuthorHans Wolfgang Singer
TitleDas Parisurteil
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1925
Glaser 1923 233
AuthorCurt Glaser
TitleLukas Cranach
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1923
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glaser1923
Ameseder 1910 65ff.
AuthorRudolf Ameseder
TitleEin Parisurteil Lukas Cranachs d. Ä. in der Landesgalerie zu Graz
JournalRepertorium für Kunstwissenschaft
Issue33
Year of Publication1910
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2014/2607
Pages65-84
Heidrich 1909 165
AuthorErnst Heidrich
TitleDie altdeutsche Malerei: 200 Nachbildungen mit geschichtlicher Einführung und Anmerkungen
SeriesDie Kunst in Bildern
Volume1
Place of PublicationJena
Year of Publication1909
Parthey 1863-1864 691 (vol. 1) 212
AuthorGustav Parthey
TitleDeutscher Bildersaal. Verzeichnis der in Deutschland vorhandenen Oelbilder verstorbener Maler aller Schulen
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1864
Viardot 1864 164
AuthorLouis Viardot
TitleLe Musée de Carlsruhe
JournalGazette des Beaux-Arts
Issue(1864)
Year of Publication1864
Pages127-149
  • The Judgement of Paris, 1530

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Technical studies

07. 2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details and the facial features; some representation of volume created with slightly smudged chalk lines

Deviations:

- alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

2011Technical Examination

  • reverse

Support

- beech wood, vertically aligned

- original surface on the reverse retained, roughly planed with a block plane, bevelled on all four sides

- the panel is c. 0.5 cm thick at the edge, c. 1.3 cm at the centre

- on the reverse losses in the wood are filled with a white fill material

- no coating

Ground and Imprimatura

- very thin white ground

[Heydenreich, cda 2011]

14.05.1992Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Youngest annual ring: 1523; the earliest felling date 1524; following a two year seasoning period the panel could have been used from 1526.

The panel is from the same tree as the linked panels.

[Klein Report, 14.05.1992]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Condition Reports

Date2011

Support:

  • trimmed along the top edge, the width of the barbe

[Heydenreich, cda 2011]

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Judgement of Paris', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKK_0109/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Judgement of Paris', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKK_0109/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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