Classical Female Figure (Diana or Venus) with Two Infants 1534 - 1547

Francesco Primaticcio created this pen and brown ink drawing of a classical female figure with two infants in the 16th century. The artwork could be interpreted as either Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon and the hunt, or Venus, the goddess of love, sexuality, and beauty. Primaticcio spent much of his career at the French court of Fontainebleau where Italian and French artistic traditions combined in what is known as the Fontainebleau School. This drawing reflects the tastes of a highly sophisticated court culture. The pose of the idealized female nude draws on classical sculpture, reflecting the prevailing fashion for classical themes at the time. The drawing is likely a preparatory study for a painting or sculpture. Art historians consult a range of documentary sources such as letters, inventories, and early biographies to more fully understand the place of artworks like this in their cultural and institutional context.