The Judgment of Paris

The Judgment of Paris is an impressive engraving dating from 1515-1525, printed by Antonio Salamanca (Italian, 1478-1562) by or after Marcantonio (Italian c. 1480-1534), who in turn worked after the celebrated design of Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520). This complex collaboration highlights the critical role of reproductive prints in the early 16th century, enabling the rapid spread of High Renaissance masterworks. The piece, executed as an engraving in black on ivory laid paper, is a prime example of the innovative graphic arts culture developing in Italy.

The original composition by Raphael was crucial to the visual language of the period, depicting the mythological story of the Trojan prince Paris selecting the fairest goddess among Venus, Juno, and Minerva, leading eventually to the Trojan War. Marcantonio’s skill translated Raphael’s monumental fresco style into a detailed, reproducible format.

Salamanca, operating as a successful Roman publisher, was responsible for the broad distribution of these influential images. By utilizing the reproductive power of prints, he ensured that complex narrative and compositional ideas originating with Raphael were made accessible across Europe to a public and to artists who could not view the originals. This work, considered a key example of 16th-century Italian engraving, resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The significant age and historical importance of The Judgment of Paris means high-resolution reproductions of this piece are frequently found in public domain archives, allowing contemporary access to this Renaissance print tradition.