Plate 105: Diana aiming her bow toward Chione, who is accompanied by two children, in another scene at left Mercury approaches the sleeping Chione, from a series illustrating 'The Metamorphoses' of Ovid 1606

This is Antonio Tempesta’s ‘Diana aiming her bow toward Chione’ print, made around the turn of the 17th century. The story comes from Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses,’ a popular source for artists seeking to visualize classical mythology. Tempesta was working in Italy, where the influence of the Catholic Church was very strong. ‘Metamorphoses’ offered a rich catalogue of stories, but their pagan content often clashed with Christian values. In this print, we see Diana enacting divine retribution on Chione, who had boasted of being more beautiful than the goddess. The scene is fraught with tension, but it raises questions about power, gender, and morality. Was Diana’s anger justified, or was it a sign of insecurity? Does the print reinforce social hierarchies, or does it critique the abuse of authority? As historians, we can use sources such as religious doctrine, social commentaries, and biographical information about the artist to shed light on these issues. By examining the cultural and institutional context, we can better understand the complex meanings embedded in this image.