(b. 1614, Sluis, d. 1670, Paris)

Diana and Her Nymphs 1654 Oil on canvas, 100 x 136 cm Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

Diana, the goddess of the hunt, and her nymphs are assembling in a glade in a large wood. The sparsely-clad Diana stands in the centre of the composition, leaning against a tree trunk covered with drapery, in a pose reminiscent of classical sculptures. She is identified by her attribute, the crescent moon on her brow. Nymphs with a hunting dog approach from the left. The woman in front has a quiver slung over her shoulder and displays the trophy, a hare, which she holds by the ears. Some of Diana's attendants are bathing; others have emerged from the water and are putting on their robes. The one who stands out most is the naked woman in the right foreground holding a garment over her head and contemplating the observer.

Although the painting ostensibly illustrates a mythological tale, it is in fact an idyllic parade of nude or semi-nude women in a variety of poses, which evokes a classicist mood reminiscent of the French masters Poussin and Claude Lorrain.

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Author: LOO, Jacob van Title: Diana and Her Nymphs Time-line: 1651-1700 School: Dutch Form: painting