Paris Bordon, 1500 – 1571

The 74 Most Famous Paintings by Paris Bordon

The painting that made Paris Bordon famous is Venus and Mars with Cupid (1559); it hangs in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rim. Venus and Cupid (1540) and Christ Blessing (1540) follow it in the hearts of collectors and museum visitors. Of the 74 works by Paris Bordon in our catalogue, these 74 are the most admired, each presented with its date, its museum and what sets it apart.

Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated oktober 2026. Every masterpiece on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, at the size you choose.

Portrait of Paris Bordon
Paris Bordon · 1500 – 1571
Born · died
1500 – 1571, Treviso
Movement
Renaissance
Works in our catalogue
74
Most famous
Venus and Mars with Cupid (1559)
Most works at
Kunsthistorisches Museum

Paris Bordon: the ten masterpieces

Venus and Mars with Cupid (1559) by Paris Bordon
1

Venus and Mars with Cupid

1559 · Oil On Canvas · Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rim

To gaze upon Paris Bordone's depiction of Venus and Mars with Cupid is to step directly into the vibrant, emotionally charged atmosphere of the High Renaissance meeting the burgeoning complexity of Mannerism. This painting captures not merely a mythological tableau, but a moment suspended in time—a playful negotiation between divine love, desire, and youthful energy. The composition itself draws the viewer into its central drama: Venus, embodying supreme beauty, holds…

Venus and Cupid (1540) by Paris Bordon
2

Venus and Cupid

1540 · Oil On Panel · Muzeum Narodowe, Varšava

A woman lies on her side upon a bed, her form a soft curve against the landscape. She holds a baby close to her, a quiet gesture of maternal instinct amidst the mythic setting. Outside, the trees reach upward, framing a scene where the divine meets the domestic. A single bird cuts through the air above, a small movement in a still world. The light settles on her skin, catching…

Christ Blessing (1540) by Paris Bordon
3

Christ Blessing

1540 · Oil · Mauritshuis, Haag

The air feels heavy with a sacred stillness as Christ turns his gaze slightly away from the viewer, his presence filling the space with a quiet, commanding grace. He exists in a realm of deep shadows, where the light catches the curve of a cheek and the gentle movement of a hand raised in blessing. This gesture of benediction, held in a suspended moment of grace, reaches out from the…

A Jeweler with a Lady (1550) by Paris Bordon
4

A Jeweler with a Lady

1550 · Oil · Bavarske državne slikopisne zbirke, München

A heavy darkness holds the room. In this intimate space, a man and a woman exist within a chiaroscuro glow, their skin catching a light that seems to fall from a high, unseen window. He sits in the foreground, a figure of serious intent, his beard textured and his gaze drifting away from the viewer. Beside him, a woman with hair the color of autumn embers looks downward. The air…

Mars, Venus and Cupid (1550) by Paris Bordon
5

Mars, Venus and Cupid

1550 · Oil On Canvas · Ermitaž, Sankt Peterburg

The canvas holds a heavy, dark landscape where light falls like a sudden weight upon three figures. Venus, draped in a gown of deep crimson, sits amidst the shadows of a lush, leafy background. Her skin possesses a luminous quality, contrasting against the dark, earthy greens of the surrounding trees. Beside her, Mars displays the defined musculature of a warrior, his form caught in the dramatic chiaroscuro that defines the…

Portrait of a Young Woman (1545) by Paris Bordon
6

Portrait of a Young Woman

1545 · Oil On Canvas · National Gallery, London

A single column of stone anchors the composition, a vertical shadow against the luminous skin of the subject. She sits in a three-quarter pose, her presence defined by the heavy, shimmering crimson of her gown. The fabric falls in deep, sculptural folds, catching a light that enters from the upper left. This light traces the fine lace at her neckline and the metallic glint of her jewelry, turning silk into…

Portrait of a young Woman (1550) by Paris Bordon
7

Portrait of a young Woman

1550 · Oil On Canvas · Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

The air in the room feels heavy with the scent of crushed petals and the musk of fine fur. A young woman sits before us, her presence commanding a quiet, aristocratic poise that seems to halt the very passage of time. She is draped in a gown of shimmering magenta silk, the heavy brocade catching the light in a way that suggests both weight and movement. Her skin possesses a…

Portrait of a Lady with a Boy (1530) by Paris Bordon
8

Portrait of a Lady with a Boy

1530 · Oil On Canvas · Ermitaž, Sankt Peterburg

A woman’s silhouette forms a protective arc around a young child. In this 1530 oil on canvas, the light enters from the upper left, catching the luster of pearls and the metallic glint of gold embroidery. The fabric of her sleeve carries a heavy, textured weight, rendered with the visible brushwork of the Venetian school. She is a figure of dignity, her skin smoothed by light, her presence anchored by…

Objava (1555) by Paris Bordon
10

Objava

1555 · Akril na platnu · Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena

Annunciation by Paris Bordone: A Renaissance Reverie The Annunciation by Paris Bordone stands as a testament to Venetian artistic prowess during the High Renaissance—a painting that transcends mere depiction, immersing viewers in a meticulously crafted tableau of faith and beauty. Created in 1555, this oil on canvas masterpiece measuring 99 x 134 cm resides within the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena, Italy, offering visitors an unparalleled glimpse into the artistic sensibilities…

More Paris Bordon masterpieces, 11 to 74

Venus and Adonis (1560) by Paris Bordon
#36

Venus and Adonis

1560 · Kunsthistorisches Museum

In this oil on canvas, two figures occupy the foreground against a dark, wooded background. Venus and Adonis are positioned in a central, triangular arrangement. Venus leans toward…

Bring it home →
Sacra conversazione (1530) by Paris Bordon
#42

Sacra conversazione

1530 · Narodni muzej v Varšavi

The painting titled Sacra conversazione is a work by the artist Paris Bordone. This oil on panel piece originated in the 1530s, specifically dated to about 1530. The…

Order a reproduction →
Allegory (Venus, Flora, Mars and Cupid) (1558) by Paris Bordon
#44

Allegory (Venus, Flora, Mars and Cupid)

1558 · Ermitaž

Paris Bordone’s 1558 painting, “Allegory (Venus, Flora, Mars and Cupid),” is not merely a depiction of mythological figures; it's a meticulously crafted exploration of desire, power, and the…

Bring it home →
Bathsheba Bathing (1549) by Paris Bordon
#46

Bathsheba Bathing

1549 · Wallraf-Richartz-Museum

In the sun-drenched annals of the Venetian Renaissance, few works capture the delicate tension between earthly sensuality and spiritual contemplation as exquisitely as Paris Bordone’s Bathsheba Bathing. Created…

Commission a hand-painted copy →
Young Woman at Her Toilet (1550) by Paris Bordon
#52

Young Woman at Her Toilet

1550 · Kunsthistorisches Museum

In the soft, luminous atmosphere of the mid-16th century, Paris Bordone captured a moment of profound intimacy and quiet contemplation in his masterpiece, Young Woman at Her Toilet.…

Order a reproduction →
A Pair of Lovers by Paris Bordon
#59

A Pair of Lovers

National Gallery

is an oil on canvas by the Venetian artist Paris Bordone. Born in Treviso, Italy, around 1500, Bordone captures a quiet, intimate moment between a man and a…

Bring it home →
Nude by Paris Bordon
#60

Nude

Galleria degli Uffizi

In the quiet, monochromatic depths of this exquisite study, we find ourselves transported to the heart of the Venetian Renaissance. This drawing, a masterful Nude by the esteemed…

Order a reproduction →
Allegory with Lovers (1550) by Paris Bordon
#70

Allegory with Lovers

1550 · Kunsthistorisches Museum

In the hallowed halls of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, there exists a window into the soul of the Venetian Renaissance—a monumental canvas titled Allegory with Lovers. Painted…

Order a reproduction →
The Venetian Lovers (1525) by Paris Bordon
#74

The Venetian Lovers

1525 · Pinacoteca di Brera

In the heart of the sixteenth-century Venetian Renaissance, where light danced upon the canals and art served as the ultimate expression of human emotion, Paris Bordone captured a…

Order a reproduction →

Paris Bordon's paintings by period

The subjects Paris Bordon painted most

The four subjects that return most often among these masterpieces, with the finest example of each.

Where to see Paris Bordon's paintings

The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Paris Bordon Paintings from this list
Kunsthistorisches Museum, DunajKunsthistorisches Museum Dunaj 6 Venus and Adonis, Portrait of a woman with a green cloak, Young Woman at Her Toilet
Ermitaž, Sankt PeterburgErmitaž Sankt Peterburg 4 Mars, Venus and Cupid, Portrait of a Lady with a Boy, Holy Family with St Catherine
National Gallery, LondonNational Gallery London 4 Portrait of a Young Woman, Christ baptising Saint John Martyr, Christ as 'The Light of the World'
Bavarske državne slikopisne zbirke, MünchenBavarske državne slikopisne zbirke München 3 A Jeweler with a Lady, Lady with Red Velvet, Portrait of Violante
Gemäldegalerie, BerlinGemäldegalerie Berlin 3 Mars and Venus, surprised by Vulcan, Enthroned Madonna with Child and Saints, Two Chess Players
Scottish National Gallery, EdinburghScottish National Gallery Edinburgh 2 The Rest on the Return from Egypt, Venetian Women at their Toilet
Philadelphia Museum of Art, FiladelfijaPhiladelphia Museum of Art Filadelfija 2 Christ Taking Leave of His Mother, Saint Jerome in the Wilderness
Kraljeva zbirka, LondonKraljeva zbirka London 2 Portrait of a Man with a Laurel-Wreath, The Virgin and Child with Donors

Paris Bordon, decade by decade: the defining painting of each

  1. 1510s
    Madonna and Child with Saint Sebastian (1518) by Paris Bordon
    Rank 11 / 74

    Madonna and Child with Saint Sebastian

    Age 10 – 19 · Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

    In this oil on panel composition from circa 1518, the Virgin Mary holds the nude Christ Child upon her lap, creating an intimate focal point against a textured…

  2. 1520s
  3. 1530s
    Portrait of a Lady with a Boy (1530) by Paris Bordon
    #8 of 74

    Portrait of a Lady with a Boy

    Age 30 – 39 · Ermitaž

    A woman’s silhouette forms a protective arc around a young child. In this 1530 oil on canvas, the light enters from the upper left, catching the luster of…

  4. 1540s
    Venus and Cupid (1540) by Paris Bordon
    #2 of 74

    Venus and Cupid

    Age 40 – 49 · Muzeum Narodowe

    A woman lies on her side upon a bed, her form a soft curve against the landscape. She holds a baby close to her, a quiet gesture of…

  5. 1550s
    Venus and Mars with Cupid (1559) by Paris Bordon
    No. 1 of 74

    Venus and Mars with Cupid

    Age 50 – 59 · Galleria Doria Pamphilj

    To gaze upon Paris Bordone's depiction of Venus and Mars with Cupid is to step directly into the vibrant, emotionally charged atmosphere of the High Renaissance meeting the…

  6. 1560s

Paris Bordon's masterpieces: questions and answers

Which painting is Paris Bordon best known for?Show the answer

Venus and Mars with Cupid (1559), Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rim. Next come Venus and Cupid (1540) and Christ Blessing (1540).

How old was Paris Bordon when painting Venus and Mars with Cupid?Show the answer

59 years old: Venus and Mars with Cupid dates from 1559 and Paris Bordon was born in 1500.

What are Paris Bordon's ten greatest paintings?Show the answer

Venus and Mars with Cupid, Venus and Cupid, Christ Blessing, A Jeweler with a Lady, Mars, Venus and Cupid, Portrait of a Young Woman, Portrait of a young Woman, Portrait of a Lady with a Boy, Lady with Red Velvet and Objava. The ranking above gives the year and the museum of each.

How many works did Paris Bordon paint?Show the answer

Our catalogue lists 74 works by Paris Bordon, dated from 1518 to 1560.

In which museums can I see Paris Bordon's masterpieces?Show the answer

Most of them are in Kunsthistorisches Museum (Dunaj), Ermitaž (Sankt Peterburg) and National Gallery (London). The table above lists the museums one by one.

When did Paris Bordon paint the masterpieces?Show the answer

In 1540s: 18 of the 74 works on this page date from then, among them Venus and Cupid.

What are the first and last famous paintings of Paris Bordon?Show the answer

The earliest on this page is Madonna and Child with Saint Sebastian (1518), the latest Holy Family in a Landscape with John the Baptist (1560).

What were Paris Bordon's favourite subjects?Show the answer

Woman (17), Man (12) and Child (9), among the 74 works on this page.

Which technique did Paris Bordon favour?Show the answer

Oil On Canvas: 21 of the 74 works on this page.

What art movement is Paris Bordon part of?Show the answer

Renaissance, as the paintings on this page show.

Which masterpieces by Paris Bordon hang at the Kunsthistorisches Museum?Show the answer

Venus and Adonis, Portrait of a woman with a green cloak and Young Woman at Her Toilet are among the 6 works on this page held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Dunaj.

Can I own a reproduction of a Paris Bordon masterpiece?Show the answer

Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, in the size you choose, from the painting's own page.

The life of Paris Bordon

Venetski neustrašni umetnik: Življenje in dediščina Paris Bordoneja

V živopravni, sončem prepojeni pokrajini venetske renesanse 16. stoletja je malo katere figure ima tako močno neodvisnega duha kot Paris Bordone. Rdjen v Trevisu okoli leta 1500, se je Bordone iz sence velikih mojstrov izlomil, da si je utrdil ugled, ki ga zaznamuje edinstvena napetost med klasično eleganco in nemirno, manieristično energijo. Medtem ko so njegovi sodobniki pogosto stremileli k dovršeni popolnosti visoke renesanse, je Bordone sprejel bolj kompleksno, včasih provokativno estetiko, ki je združevala monumentalno razmerje njegove dobe z značilno provincialno vitalnostjo. Njegova pot je bila nenehno iskanje ravnovesja med uveljavljenimi venetskimi tradicijo in neomajno željo po oblikovanju lastnega vizualnega jezika.

Temelj Bordonjeve tehnične dovršenosti se je ulegal v njegovih oblikovalnih letih v\|_{\text{Veneciji}}$, predvsem skozi učeništvo pod legendarnim Tizianom. Ta obdobje je nedvomno predstavljalo krčev za njegov talent, saj ga je izpostavilo bogatim teksturam, dramatični svetlobi in atmosferični globini, ki definira venetsko šolo. Vendar pa je odnos med mojstrom in učencem bil znan po kreativnih trenjih. Zgodovinski zapisi, vključno s tistimi, ki jih je zapisal Vasari, nakazujejo določeno neskladje med Bordonijevimi eksperimentalnimi impulzi in Tizianovo bolj razrefinedo estetiko. Namesto da bi bil ta napetost okrzil, jo je Bordone uporabil kot katalizator za razvoj, s čimer je razvil slog, ki se je odklonil od čiste imitacije proti bolj zapletenemu in včasih nemirnemu kompozicijskemu pristopu.

Preplet mitov, pobožnosti in portretizma

Bordonjeva plodna kariera je zaznamovana z izjemno širino tematik, ki segajo od svetega do profanega. Njegova sposobnost navigiranja skozi religijsko ikonografijo z isto vigorom kot skozi mitološke pripovednice mu je omogočila zajemanje raznolikih interesov venetske elite. V njegovih religioznih delih, kot je Pentekost, ki se nahaja v Ermitažnem muzeju, lahko opazimo mojstrovsko vladanje s tehniko sfumato in tople, čutne tone, ki vabijo k globoki duhovni kontemplaciji. Vendar pa tudi znotraj teh pobožnih motivov pogosto izstopa občutek manieristične kompleksnosti, ki se izraža skozi vrtljajaste draperije in goste, dinamične kompozicije.

Ko je svoj pogled usmerjal v svetovno tematiko, je Bordone dosegel raven narativne drame, ki še danes očarava gledalce. Njegove mitološke slike, kot je Alegorija z ljubimci, prikazujejo njegov talent za uporabo živahnih barv in simbolične globine pri tkjenju zapletenih zgodb o strasti in usodi. Ta mojstvo se je razširilo tudi v področje portretizma, kjer je z izredno natančnostjo zajemal dostojnost in družbeni status svojih modelov. Odmevni primer je njegovo del iz leta 1540, Portret Toma Stachela, ki trenutno stoji v Louvru; tukaj umetnik uporablja zapleteno kompozicijo za izpostavljanje statusa osebe na portretu, pri čemer fine podrobnosti ogrničev in heraldične črke uporablja za zakoreninitev subjekta v oprijemljivo zgodovinsko realnost.

Zgodovinski pomen in umetniško trajanje

Trajna pomembnost Paris Bordoneja leži v njegovi zavrnitvi konformizma. Stoji kot vitalni most med uravnotečeno harmonijo zgodnje renesanse in bolj stilizirano, ekspresivno kompleksnostjo manierističnega obdobja. Čeprav morda ni dosegel univerzalnih višin Tiziana, njegovo del ponuja nujno protitek—bogatejšo, eksperimentalno in pogosto bolj humanistično perspektivo na venetski svet. Njegove slike služijo kot okna v čas globokih preobrazb, ko je stabilnost tradicije izzivala nova, bolj nemirna umetniška zavest.

Danes je Bordonjeva dediščina ohranjena v nekaterih najprestižnejših svetovnih institucijah, ki raziskovalce in ljubitelje umetnosti vabijo k ponovnemu odkritju njegove edinstvene vizije. Njegov prispevek lahko povzamemo skozi nekaj ključnih umetniških stebrov:

  • Stilski inovativnost: Uspešna integracija Tizianom navdihnjenega veličastja z bolj kompleksno, manieristično kompozicijsko strukturo.
  • Vsestranost tematik: Neprimerana sposobnost nemotljivega premikanja med spokojno lepoto Madone z otrokom in dramatično intenzivnostjo zgodovinskih alegorij.
  • Tehnično mojstvo: Izstopajoča uporaba svetlobe, barve in teksture, ki je platnu prinesla oprijemljiv občutek življenja in gibanja.
  • Kulturni vpliv: Predstavljanje živahnega, pogosto turbulentnega duha Trevisa in Venec med enim najpomembnejšim obdobjem v zgodovini zapadno umetnosti.

All 74 works by Paris Bordon →