Diana and Callisto
- Artist: Titian
- Date: 1556-9
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Diana and Callisto by Titian. Painted in the Venetian style, this work shows a dramatic moment from Ovid's Metamorphoses. It depicts the virgin goddess Diana forcing Callisto to strip and bathe after hunting and discovering her pregnancy.
The brushwork here is expressive and free, with the contours of the figures dissolving as Titian swept thinnest dragged brushstrokes across the canvas. This contributes to a sense of dynamism and movement. The unicorn pattern on the gold cloth hanging over the tree was worked wet-in-wet, giving it glittering highlights.
Titian made several alterations during execution, adjusting poses and clothing to get it just right. Unfortunately, the paint surface is damaged in some areas, affecting the definition of Diana and Callisto's figures.
This painting was one of six large mythological works created by Titian between 1551 and 1562 for Prince Philip II of Spain. They were designed to be displayed together and have remained so throughout their history.
See it in person
Diana and Callisto hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
