La Vera Perfettione del Disegno di varie sorti di recami, page 23 (verso) 1567

This is an engraving from Giovanni Ostau's *La Vera Perfettione del Disegno di varie sorti di recami* (The True Perfection of the Design of Various Kinds of Embroidery), published in 1567. This page features a depiction of the Judgement of Paris, a popular subject in Renaissance art, where Paris, a Trojan prince, must choose the most beautiful of three goddesses. In the center are Venus, Juno, and Minerva. This engraving is part of a book dedicated to embroidery patterns, and the scene is presented as a backdrop to emphasize the beautiful, flowing lines of the female figures. This work, part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the use of classical mythology in 16th-century European art.