Rubens masterpiece returns to National Gallery after 14-month conservation
The Judgement Of Paris is one of the Flemish artist’s most recognisable works.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A masterpiece by Sir Peter Paul Rubens has returned to public display at the National Gallery in London.
The Judgement Of Paris, one of the Flemish artist’s most recognisable works, had been in the gallery’s conservation department for 14 months ahead of its re-unveiling on Tuesday.
The National Gallery said it planned to “conserve some of its greatest masterpieces” as part of its bicentenary celebrations. It was founded on May 10 1824.
During the conservation the gallery used new imaging techniques to confirm the painting had been restored several times since the artist’s death in 1640.
“The conservators faced difficult choices throughout as they had to decide if they needed to go back to Rubens’ original composition or keep many of the subsequent changes,” the gallery said.
It was decided that the successive re-workings were part of the painting’s history and should be kept, “while allowing the informed viewer to pick out the aspects of Rubens’ composition that have changed”.
Painted in the last decade of the artist’s life, it shows the moment Paris makes his fateful choice between the goddesses Venus, Minerva and Juno.
The conservation involved structural work to stabilise the oak panel, before the painting was fitted with an antique late 17th-century French Louis XIV frame, the gallery said.
Britta New, who led the conservation, said: “Rubens is well known for constantly embellishing and improving his paintings as he worked, but the added dimension of the subsequent re-working of The Judgement Of Paris made the treatment of the panel a stimulating challenge.”