The Judgement of Paris thumbnail 1
The Judgement of Paris thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 111, The Gilbert Bayes Gallery

The Judgement of Paris

Relief
ca. 1675-1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This ivory relief represents the Judgement of Paris and is made by Jacob Auer in Austria in ca. 1675-80. Throughout the ages artists and craftsmen have made virtuoso carvings as a display of their skill and ingenuity. Although ivory, wood and stone are relatively easy to carve, other materials such as gemstones are much more demanding. Most of these carvings were made for wealthy patrons and collectors, who delighted in the rarity of the material and quality of the carving. This ivory relief gives a classicising and elegant interpretation of the subject. The pale, fine surface of the ivory mirrors the flesh of the elongated nudes. The composition may well be based on an engraving.

Auer (1645-1706) worked in wood and rhinoceros horn, as well as ivory; he also executed the marble portal for the Benedictine monastery at Lambach (1681-93), and other full-scale stone figures, such as those at St Florian bei Linz. He may also have participated in the reliefs for the Prague Column in Vienna in about 1685. He trained under Michael Lechleitner (c.1611-1669), and in 1673 took over Lechleitner’s workshop. Generally Auer worked on small-scale sculpture, his eclectic style drawing on the work of Gianlorenzo Bernini, Giambologna and Peter Paul Rubens among others. His ivory statuettes demonstrate a vivid grasp of anatomy and dramatic movement.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Judgement of Paris (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Elephant ivory
Brief description
Relief, ivory, The Judgement of Paris, by Jakob Auer (ca. 1646-1707), Austrian, ca. 1675-80
Physical description
The figures are contained between two trees which form an arch. Paris (left) is proferring Venus the golden apple; Cupid, on the same plane in front of the trees, is between them. Juno and Minerva are in the background in lower relief. Paris is shown back view, head in profile to the right, with his right arm extended and his left arm raised and holding a staff. His weight is disposed on the right leg whilst his left leg is slightly raised and resting on a rock. Venus (right), half turned to the left, is about to accept the apple with her right hand. Flimsy drapery curls behind her neck, over her right shoulder, down her side and then across to her left side, where she holds the drapery in her left hand. She wears a pearl wristlet on her left wrist and pearls in her hair.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.5cm
  • Width: 9.5cm
Object history
Bought for £230 from Alfred Spero, 82 Grosvenor Street, London W1 in 1951. The figures on the back, '50/389' are the Spero stock number.
Production
Previously attributed to Christoph Angermair (active 1606-1632/3).
Subjects depicted
Association
Summary
This ivory relief represents the Judgement of Paris and is made by Jacob Auer in Austria in ca. 1675-80. Throughout the ages artists and craftsmen have made virtuoso carvings as a display of their skill and ingenuity. Although ivory, wood and stone are relatively easy to carve, other materials such as gemstones are much more demanding. Most of these carvings were made for wealthy patrons and collectors, who delighted in the rarity of the material and quality of the carving. This ivory relief gives a classicising and elegant interpretation of the subject. The pale, fine surface of the ivory mirrors the flesh of the elongated nudes. The composition may well be based on an engraving.

Auer (1645-1706) worked in wood and rhinoceros horn, as well as ivory; he also executed the marble portal for the Benedictine monastery at Lambach (1681-93), and other full-scale stone figures, such as those at St Florian bei Linz. He may also have participated in the reliefs for the Prague Column in Vienna in about 1685. He trained under Michael Lechleitner (c.1611-1669), and in 1673 took over Lechleitner’s workshop. Generally Auer worked on small-scale sculpture, his eclectic style drawing on the work of Gianlorenzo Bernini, Giambologna and Peter Paul Rubens among others. His ivory statuettes demonstrate a vivid grasp of anatomy and dramatic movement.
Bibliographic references
  • Theuerkauff, Christian, ed. Elfenbein, Sammlung Reiner Winkler, Vol II, 1994, p. 23, and note on p. 25. J. Rasmussen, Deutsche Kleinplastik der Renaissance und des Barock, Hamburg, 1975, p. 111, cat. no. 42 (ivory relief St Sebastian in the Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, inv. 1973.23.
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 4, pp. 8, 9
Collection
Accession number
A.79-1951

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJanuary 13, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest