Download William Etty - Scarborough Museums Trust

William Etty
the artist
William Etty was born in York in 1787. At his father’s request,
he served several years as an apprentice to a printer in Hull.
His uncle then invited him to stay in London where he was
able to pursue his interest in painting at the Royal Academy
School. As both a student and as a member of the academy
he continued to study life classes there. He loved to paint the
figure both clothed and nude. He eventually retired to York
before he died in 1848.
Statue of William Etty outside York Art Gallery.
the work
The Choice of Paris, also known as the Judgement of Paris, is
a story from Greek mythology and was one of the events that
led up to the Trojan War.
This classical composition depicts three female nudes in the
centre of the painting. The female on the left, Aphrodite
(Goddess of Love) extends her hand to take the golden apple
from Paris, son of Priam (King of Troy) which would pronounce
her the fairest of all Gods. In exchange for the apple,
Aphrodite would give him the most beautiful woman in the
world, who was at this time Helen (of Sparta). And so the
Trojan War started .
Athena (far right) had promised Paris that he would be the
most powerful King. Hera (centre) had promised to make him
wise, even above some of the Gods. The two children near
Athena’s legs are putti (cherubs), and the man behind Paris is
Hermes, who delivered the apple to Paris from Zeus.
The Choice of Paris, 1846
things to
ask . .
Left, detail of The Choice of Paris.
Etty has painted a very English landscape in the background? Why
might he have done this, rather than painting a Greek landscape?
In Greek mythology Athena is goddess of War, how do the objects
depicted next to her tell us this? What are the objects? (see detail to
the right)
What other animals can you spot in the painting? What might they
refer to?
Can you spot any differences between the painting in Scarborough
Art Gallery and a similar painting in the Walker Art Gallery (image to
the right).
Both paintings were done by Etty. Why do you think he did more
than one painting of the same story?
The Judgement of Paris, held in The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool