Recto: Diana Resting with Her Hounds; Verso: Flora Seated by a Vase with Two Harks on the Ground, after Jost Amman 1607 - 1615

Curator: The work before us is an intriguing drawing attributed to Hermann Weyer, likely executed between 1607 and 1615. The Met houses this particular ink drawing. Interestingly, it features studies on both sides—recto depicting Diana resting, verso Flora seated. What's your initial impression? Editor: Well, I’m immediately drawn to the pack of dogs. They feel…almost confrontational. Like squat little gargoyles guarding something sacred but also comical. A serious goddess surrounded by goofballs. There's a real sense of movement despite the stillness. Curator: Yes, the dogs do command attention. It’s compelling how Weyer adapts Jost Amman's imagery. We see Diana, goddess of the hunt, presented here not in triumphant action but in repose, which shifts the visual narrative. Do you find it subversive? Editor: Subversive might be too strong, but there is an undeniable softening of her power. Instead of this commanding figure we see the vulnerable humanity revealed in relaxation and companionship. That domesticity undercuts that mythic power of goddesses usually. And even the hasty sketch feel of the drawing softens it. Curator: Exactly. And this shift occurs within a broader social context. Representations of mythological figures, once strictly within aristocratic patronage, were becoming accessible through prints and drawings, changing the viewing public. The print is democratizing the sacred, would you say? Editor: It feels more...humanizing than democratizing. But I see your point! I think it gives people permission to have an emotional reaction versus a strictly deferential one. And you know what else strikes me? The bare feet—very humble. Curator: The use of ink wash adds to that nuanced feeling, doesn't it? Weyer contrasts delicate lines for the figures with denser areas defining landscape and form, which provides volume. The dogs are clearly modeled! Editor: Oh, absolutely, it creates a depth that’s both physical and psychological, which also really speaks to that feeling of a sacred intimacy, if that’s not too strong. Well, it gets me right here. It humanizes goddesses and canines, together. Curator: Indeed. Thinking about the transition of such imagery across various societal strata offers valuable insight into its shifting cultural relevance. Editor: Agreed! The whole viewing experience opens up from purely academic, becoming an access point, to more personal interpretations. This imperfect sketch starts as something academic but winds up being very personal.