Diana Bathing 1733

Jean-Baptiste Boudard made this small terracotta sculpture, Diana Bathing, sometime in the mid-18th century. It depicts the Roman goddess Diana, associated with wild animals and the hunt. The goddess is depicted in a rare moment of repose, caught unawares at her ablutions. In French rococo culture, it was common to depict mythological scenes such as this, alluding to classical antiquity. Yet this was a changing world, in which the aristocracy were losing their grip on power. The question of who should be allowed to view such images was hotly debated. Art historians can shed light on the social function of such works by looking at the exhibition histories of such works, and the critical discussions around the institution of the 'salon.' It is through such study of institutional context that we can come to understand the social meaning of art.