The Judgement of Paris - Giorgio Ghisi

A detailed 1555 Mannerist engraving by Giorgio Ghisi depicting the mythological Judgement of Paris, based on a design by Giovanni Battista Bertani.

This engraving by Giorgio Ghisi, dated 1555, depicts the classical myth of the Judgement of Paris. Based on a design by Giovanni Battista Bertani, the work demonstrates the technical precision and complex spatial arrangements characteristic of the Italian Mannerist period. Ghisi, a master engraver from Mantua, employs a dense network of lines to create varied textures, from the musculature of the figures to the atmospheric clouds and distant architectural vistas.

At the centre of the composition, Paris sits in contemplation, flanked by Mercury. Before him stand the three goddesses: Juno, Minerva, and Venus. The scene is framed by celestial elements, including the sun god Apollo in his chariot on the left and a lunar chariot on the right. Below, the landscape recedes into a detailed background, featuring a city and rolling hills. The figures exhibit the elongated proportions and dramatic poses typical of the mid-sixteenth century, reflecting the influence of the School of Fontainebleau and the artistic climate of the Mantuan court.

Ghisi's ability to translate complex painterly designs into the medium of engraving allowed such works to circulate widely across Europe. The print is notable for its narrative density and the inclusion of numerous putti, which add a sense of movement to the mythological encounter. The inscription in the lower left corner provides the attribution to Bertani as the inventor and Ghisi as the engraver, alongside the date of production. This work remains a primary example of the sophisticated printmaking culture of the Italian Renaissance, where the collaboration between painter and engraver produced images of great technical and iconographic ambition.