Dood van Actaeon 1786 - 1808

Jacques Couché created this print, "Death of Actaeon", around 1750, after an original painting by Titian. The print depicts a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Actaeon, a hunter, is punished by the goddess Diana for seeing her bathing. He is transformed into a stag and torn apart by his own hunting dogs. The story raises questions about voyeurism, transgression, and divine retribution. Couché’s print invites us to consider how the power dynamics between men and women, mortals and immortals, are represented. Diana's punishment of Actaeon speaks to the dangers of violating boundaries, while also highlighting the vulnerability of the male figure subjected to the goddess's wrath. The emotional intensity of Actaeon's demise, underscored by the violence inflicted by his loyal dogs, evokes feelings of empathy. In its themes of transformation and punishment, the print prompts reflection on themes of power, desire, and the consequences of crossing boundaries.