The Judgement of Paris

The Judgement of Paris

Title

The Judgement of Paris

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Five figures stand before a lush growth of bushes. On the right side stand three female figures.The one farthest right stands with her back to the viewer but her head turned to look out. She wears three gold chains around her neck and her hair is bound. She clutches a

Five figures stand before a lush growth of bushes. On the right side stand three female figures.The one farthest right stands with her back to the viewer but her head turned to look out. She wears three gold chains around her neck and her hair is bound. She clutches a diaphanous scarf with her left hand. The middle female tilts her head to the left. She wears a choker and a longer gold chain that hangs down between her breasts. Her blond hair falls down to her shoulders and she wears a narrow black band on her head. She crosses both arms before her stomach and the diaphanous veil falls across her left forearm and hands in front of her abdomen and thighs.The third young woman stands facing the viewer with her head turned to the left. She holds the edge of the diaphanous veil against her left thigh and her right hand rests upon a metal orb that is held for her by a bearded old man who wears a fantastic costume of peacock feathers. The young woman wears a red hat over her bound blond tresses and she also wears a choker and

one necklace. The veil hangs in front of her lower torso and rests in the crook of her right elbow. At the far right sits a young, bearded man wearing red and gold armor. His helmet rests on a small hillock to his left on which he places his open hand. Behind his head rises a tree with foliage at the top. In front of the foliage flies a small cupid, taking aim with his arrow that is directed toward the young woman wearing the red hat. To the left of the tree is the arched neck and head of a white horse. In the right background is a rocky outcropping, with vegetation and architectural remnants. In the center distance rises a low mountain; to its left

can be discerned a tower.

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Production dates
1530
about 1537

Production dates

1530

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

about 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 258]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 50.8 x 36.4 cm (20 x 14 5/16 in.)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 50.8 x 36.4 cm (20 x 14 5/16 in.)

  • [St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel/cradle: - on verso:
in red paint: '28:32'

  • on verso, on cradling cross bar:
    in red paint: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel/cradle: - on verso:

  • in red paint: '28:32'

    • on verso, on cradling cross bar:

  • in red paint: '28:32'

    • on verso, on cradling:

  • on paper label, in ink: 'Bt 1054'

  • Reverse of the frame:

    • on verso, on frame:

  • on paper label, printed: 'Arnold Wiggins & Sons / Limited / Nos. 30-34

  • Woodfield Place, Harrow Road / London W9 2BJ / Telephone: 071-286 9656 / [on left with Royal coat-of-arms] 'By appointment / to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II / Picture Frame Makers [on right with Royal coat-of-arms ] 'By appointment to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II/ The Queen Mother / Picture Frame Makers'

  • [St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Owner
St. Louis Art Museum
Repository
St. Louis Art Museum
Location
Saint Louis
CDA ID
US_SLAM_28-1932
FR (1978) Nr.
FR258
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/US_SLAM_28-1932/

Provenance

  • by 1890 Gotha Landesmuseum, Gotha, Thuringia, Germany [1]

  • 1932 Van Diemen Gallery and Newhouse Gallery, New York, NY, USA (owned jointly) [2]

  • 1932 Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Newhouse Gallery [3]

Notes:
[1] Gotha Landesmuseum catalogue of 1890 lists this object, no. 338 ["Gotha Landesmuseum Catalogue." Gotha: Gotha Museum, 1890].

[2] An invoice from the Newhouse Gallery dated March 4, 1932 states that both the Newhouse Gallery and Van Diemen Gallery guarentee the authenticity of the painting. However, the relationship between the two galleries and the reason for the joint ownership is unknown [SLAM document files].

[3] Invoice from the Newhouse Gallery dated April 28, 1932 [SLAM document files]. Minutes from Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, March 3, 1932.

[St. Louis Art Museum, revised 2012]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Schuttwolf 2011 49 059
AuthorAllmuth Schuttwolf
TitleVerlustdokumentation der Gothaer Kunstsammlungen. Die Gemäldesammlung
Volume2
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication2011
Show Literature
Cat. St. Louis 2004 146
EditorMary Ann Steiner
TitleSaint Louis Art Museum Handbook of the Collection
Place of PublicationSt. Louis
Year of Publication2004
Show Literature
Bailey 2001 66-67
EditorMartin Bailey
TitleThe Folio Society Book of the 100 Greatest Paintings
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication2001
Show Literature
SLAM 2000 8
Authorn. a.
TitleFavorites from Our Collection
JournalThe Saint Louis Art Museum Magazine
Issue(April - June)
Year of Publication2000
Pages8
Show Literature
Faries, Ainsworth 1986 18 Fig. 26 (b/w)
AuthorMolly Faries, Maryan W. Ainsworth
TitleNorthern Renaissance Paintings: The Discovery of Invention
JournalThe Saint Louis Art Museum Bulletin
Issue18/1
Year of Publication1986
Pages18
Show Literature
Silver 1982 37 Fig. p. 36
AuthorLarry A. Silver
TitleEarly Northern European Paintings
JournalThe Saint Louis Art Museum Bulletin
Issue16/3
Year of Publication1982
Pages34-37
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 258
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Cat. St. Louis 1975 84 Fig. p. 84 (b/w)
Authorn. a.
TitleThe St. Louis Art Museum. Handbook of the Collections
Place of PublicationSt. Louis
Year of Publication1975
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. St. Louis 1958 7, 20 No. 1 Fig. (b/w)
EditorWildenstein, New York
TitleFifty Masterworks from the City Art Museum of St. Louis
Place of PublicationNew York
Year of Publication1958
Show Literature
Cat. St. Louis 1953 93 Fig. (b/w)
Authorn. a.
TitleHandbook of the Collections. The City Art Museum of Saint Louis
Place of PublicationSaint Louis
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Cat. St. Louis 1944 63 Fig. (b/w)
Authorn. a.
TitleHandbook of the Collections. The City Art Museum of Saint Louis
Place of PublicationSt. Louis
Year of Publication1944
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Cambridge, Mass. 1936 38 099 pl. 20 (b/w)
AuthorCharles L. Kuhn
EditorGermanic Museum, Cambridge, Mass.
TitleCatalogue of the Germanic Museum exhibition of German paintings of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Lent from American collections
Place of PublicationCambridge Mass.
Year of Publication1936
Show Literature
Tietze 1935 339 pl. 207 (b/w)
AuthorHans Tietze
TitleMeisterwerk europäischer Malerei in Amerika mit über 300 Kupfertiefdrucktafeln herausgegeben
Place of PublicationVienna
Year of Publication1935
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 69 210c
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
Show Literature
Rogers 1932 30-32 cover (b/w)
AuthorMeyric R. Rogers
TitleThe Judgement of Paris by Lucas Cranach the Elder
JournalBulletin of the City Art Museum of Saint Louis
IssueVol. 17/3
Year of Publication1932
Pages30-32
Show Literature
St Louis 1932 cover Fig. cover
Authorn. a.
TitleTitle unknown
JournalThe Fine Arts
IssueVol. XIX (November)
Year of Publication1932
Show Literature
Cat. Gotha 1890 75 No. 338
AuthorCarl Aldenhoven
TitleHerzogliches Museum zu Gotha. Katalog der Herzoglichen Gemäldegalerie
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1890
Link https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=28UzusAyldcC&pg=GBS.PP1&hl=de
Show Literature
  • The Judgement of Paris, 1530

Images

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Technical studies

06. 2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • UV-light photography
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  • photographed by St. Louis Art Museum

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Entry with no author
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