Diana, as a young shepherdess 

Charles-Joseph Natoire sketched "Diana, as a young shepherdess" in the 18th century, a period marked by the French Rococo style, and aristocratic decadence. Natoire, deeply embedded in the French court, uses the mythological figure of Diana, traditionally the active, hunting goddess, and reframes her as a passive shepherdess. This shift reflects the artificial pastoral fantasies favored by the French elite, who romanticized rural life from a distance. Diana's sensuality is emphasized, with the artist paying close attention to the female form, while her agency is notably diminished. The unidealized and frankly carnal rendering of a classical subject speaks volumes about the artist's interests. The drawing highlights the period's complex negotiation of gender, power, and class, inviting us to consider how myth can be reshaped to suit contemporary desires and ideologies. It’s a quiet but telling commentary on the roles women were expected to play, even within the guise of mythology.