The Judgement of Paris 18th-19th century

Editor: Here we have Maurice Blot's "The Judgement of Paris." It has an illustrative quality. How do you read this depiction of a classical myth? Curator: It presents an idealized male gaze, setting up a power dynamic between Paris and the goddesses, commodifying their bodies for judgement. What does it say about societal expectations and beauty standards then and now? Editor: So, it critiques how beauty is judged and who gets to judge it? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the inherent biases in such narratives. How does it make you feel to see this story visualized in this way? Editor: It makes me think about the objectification of women throughout art history. Curator: And how the persistence of these images normalizes those power structures. It is a reminder that art is never neutral.