Rubens and the Judgement of Paris: A Question of Choice

The Judgement of Paris - the tale of the shepherd-prince who gave Venus the prize in a beaty competition - was variously treated by classical writers and became a favourite theme for artists. No painter seems to have responded to the ancient story with more intelligence and enthusiasm than Peter Paul Rubens, who devoted at least eight pictures to it. A Judgement of Paris marks every stage in Rubens' career, so that the present survey, which includes familiar and unfamiliar works, allows an insig…