Today, Titian’s painting “Diana and Actaeon” goes on show at London’s National Gallery after being saved for the nation for the sum of $80 million.
Titian’s big paintings are always spectacular and I can’t wait to see it.
Titian’s “Diana and Actaeon”
and “Diana and Actaeon” is a very clever arrangement.
The shock of the moment is seen from two different points of view. You can look at the moment through Actaeon’s horrified eyes, or from Diana’s outraged perspective. The female figures form an arrowhead pointing at Actaeon, the lighting is like lightning pointing back to the naked Goddess.
Did he deserve his fate?
Was he hiding in the bushes to watch her or was it just an unfortunate encounter?
We know what Diana thought as she turned him into a stag and his dogs set upon him with fatal consequences...
Strangely, this ghoulish story has always been very popular, but when I painted Diana, (or Artemis as the original Greek myths called her), I saw her in her true role as a Goddess. A huntress, yes, but the protector of the forest and woodland, the carer of all small animals and our green environment.
How could you not love her?
Was he hiding in the bushes to watch her or was it just an unfortunate encounter?
We know what Diana thought as she turned him into a stag and his dogs set upon him with fatal consequences...
Strangely, this ghoulish story has always been very popular, but when I painted Diana, (or Artemis as the original Greek myths called her), I saw her in her true role as a Goddess. A huntress, yes, but the protector of the forest and woodland, the carer of all small animals and our green environment.
How could you not love her?
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