National Gallery, London
Rubens was such a popular painter that he became rich and famous. He painted portraits and many scenes from the Bible and Mythology. The story of this painting is from Greek and Roman Mythology. Paris was a prince who was brought up by a shepherd. He was given a golden apple and asked to judge a beauty contest between three Goddesses: Juno, the Goddess of the Family; Minerva, the Goddess of War and Venus, the Goddess of Love. Each one offered a reward: wealth, success in battle and the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife. Paris chose the last and gave the apple to Venus. This made two very powerful people angry. And, what he did not realise was that the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Troy, was already married.  Rubens has painted a picture to decorate the wall of the home of a rich patron. The painting has lots of details that help to tell the story. These include little Cupid, a sheepdog, Juno's peacock, Minerva's scary shield and sheep grazing in the beautiful landscape. But the most important things in the painting are the three beautiful nudes. This was what made Ruben's pictures so popular.