Footed dish with Diana and Actaeon 1520 - 1530

This footed dish, created by Fra Xanto Avelli da Rovigo between 1520 and 1530, depicts the mythological tale of Diana and Actaeon. The scene unfolds across a lush landscape, with Actaeon, transformed into a stag, at the left, and Diana and her nymphs bathing in a fountain on the right. This iconic Renaissance story, often associated with themes of chastity and the dangers of hubris, is rendered with vibrant detail in majolica, a type of tin-glazed earthenware. This dish, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a testament to the artistic mastery of Fra Xanto and his ability to capture the rich imagery of classical mythology in a captivating ceramic format.