Nicola Malinconico, Nude, The Judgement of Paris, 18th Century, Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed

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Nicola Malinconico (Naples, 1663 – 1726)

The Judgment of Paris

Oil on canvas (75 x 59 cm - Framed 96 … Read more Nicola Malinconico (Naples, 1663 – 1726)

The Judgment of Paris

Oil on canvas (75 x 59 cm - Framed 96 x 80 cm)

Expertise by Prof. Giancarlo Sestieri (Rome, January 12, 2016)

The painting depicted depicts one of the pivotal moments in classical mythology, the "Judgment of Paris," a legendary episode whose epilogue would contribute to the outbreak of the Trojan War and the founding of Rome.

On the right, we see the Trojan prince Paris, immortalized as a young shepherd who, by order of Zeus, must choose which of Juno, Minerva, or Aphrodite he deems the most beautiful of the Olympian goddesses. Behind him, Hermes, the messenger of the gods who guided the three contenders, appears.

Paris is depicted seated in a rocky setting, holding the famous golden apple (also known as the "apple of discord"), which he will award to the winner.

On the right of the scene are the three deities, captured in the act of revealing their nakedness to showcase their absolute beauty and attempt to persuade the young man, the judge of this ante litteram beauty contest.

As is well known, his choice will fall on Aphrodite, conditioned by the promise that once declared the winner, she would assure him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta who, to avenge the affront suffered, will declare the outbreak of war.

Our beautiful painting is a derivation of the famous "Judgement of Paris," painted by the Neapolitan Luca Giordano (Naples, 1634–1705) around 1682, during his stay in Florence, and now housed at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (**).

Our version faithfully follows the famous prototype and is specifically attributed by Professor Giancarlo Sestieri to a painter from Giordano's workshop. The scholar specifically attributes its authorship to Nicola Malinconico (Naples, 1663–1726), one of the master's principal and most gifted direct students and an important exponent of the Neapolitan late Baroque school. Also known for his exceptional ability to imitate Giordano's stylistic signature, he created numerous variations of mythological and pastoral scenes intended for the furnishings of important noble residences.

In this specific case, due to the extraordinary popularity of the iconography of the painting in question, the work was replicated and reinterpreted numerous times by his highly active Neapolitan workshop and his closest students to satisfy the demands of private clients.

Compared to the original model, our version is smaller in size and therefore simplified in composition; we find the same theatrical setting, with a style characterized by strong contrasts of light and shadow that emphasize the anatomy of the bodies and the atmosphere of the moment, demonstrating how much Giordano's models were internalized by the painters of his school.

Compared to Giordano's autograph version, Malinconico's interpretation is distinguished by a particular focus on the texture of the drapery and a modulation of light that, while remaining theatrical and baroque, tends toward rich, softly applied chromatic tones. The bodies of the goddesses take on an academic grace typical of the painter's mature period, when he began to blend Giordano's dynamism with the classicism of Francesco Solimena.

**
Luca Giordano, Judgement of Paris
Oil on canvas, 247 x 326 cm.
Hermitage Museum
https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/digital-collection/31824

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is beautifully framed and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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