Probably developed for the abandoned Troy Triptych designed in 1870, which was to have had this subject as its central panel, although the modello for the whole work shows a different composition (this was largely the work of T M Rooke, oil on canvas 275 x 298 cm, Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery: illus Harrison and Waters, 1898, fig. 144 and New York, 1998, no. 50). A drawing of a similar composition to cat. 34 (pencil on paper, 16 x 9 cm) was sold at Sotheby's, 20 March 1979, lot 9 (as a study for 'The Judgement of Paris').
The Judgment of Paris, the central panel of The Tory Triptych (1870-74). The Judgment of Paris had been the subject for a tile designed in January 1862, it was a favourite with artists from Classical antiquity, since it gave an opportunity to portray three beautiful women. In Burne-Jones's version of the story he has chosen to show Paris not yet presenting the apple. Concurrently, G F Watts (Burne-Jones's friend) was painting "The Judgement of Paris" depicting the three Goddesses without Paris, the model was Mary Bartley who was also sitting to Burne-Jones.