The Judgment of Paris

Sebald Beham after Barthel Beham

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts multiple figures in a historical setting. Five bodies are shown, mostly in full view. In the foreground, a seated man with curly hair and a beard is holding a curved object and is partially draped below the waist. To his left, a standing man with Roman-style armor, including a helmet, is depicted. He carries a staff with two snakes twisted around it. Three standing women are seen adjacent to him, depicted as nude, with their hair styled in buns; they are arranged in a line. In the upper right corner, a small winged figure is also visible, holding a bow while looking downward at the scene. The background features textured stone structures or formations, and there is an inscription at the bottom reading "IVDICIVM PARIDIS". The overall tone and style suggest a classical or mythological theme, rendered in a finely detailed, monochromatic fashion.