The Judgment of Paris
c. 1475/1485
Medium
bronze//Dark patina (black lacquer somewhat rubbed over rich reddish-brown bronze)
Dimensions
overall: 13.69 x 13.03 cm (5 3/8 x 5 1/8 in.) gross weight: 617.4 gr (1.361 lb.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1957.14.140
Art Historical Context
The Judgment of Paris, a small bronze relief created by the versatile Sienese artist Francesco di Giorgio Martini around 1475–1485, captures a pivotal moment from Greek mythology. Paris, the Trojan prince, must decide which goddess—Juno, Minerva, or Venus—is the most beautiful, ultimately awarding the golden apple to Venus. This intimate work, measuring just over five inches across, reflects the Renaissance fascination with classical stories reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. Francesco di Giorgio, known for his work as an architect, engineer, and sculptor during the Italian Renaissanc...
About the Artist
Francesco di Giorgio Martini
Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439–1501) was a quintessential Renaissance polymath from Siena, Italy, excelling as a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and theorist in the Sienese School tradition. Baptized on September 23, 1439, to a poultry dealer named Francesco Maurizio di Giorgio di Martino, his early life remains sparsely documented, with the first record of his artistic activity appear...