Diana and Actaeon
The 16th century was marked by a rediscovery of ancient literature and art. The myth of Diana and Actaeon, from Book III of Ovid's Metamorphoses (1st century AD), was a major source of inspiration. During a hunt, the young Actaeon surprises the goddess Diana and her attendants at the bath. He is punished for his curiosity, changed into a stag before being devoured by his own dogs. This tapestry is based on a composition by a disciple of Raphael, Luca Penni (1504 ? - 1556 or 1557). In the center, Diana stands in a basin from which she sprays the indiscreet.
Actaeon is depicted in the process of transformation: he wears a rich pourpoint, as was the custom of people of quality in the Renaissance, but he already bears the antlers and features of the stag. He is surrounded by his dogs and hunting companions, armed with stakes. The aesthetics of the scene (architecture, costumes, ornaments...) is characteristic of Mannerist art as it developed during the second half of the 16th century.
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