Diana and Her Nymphs Pursuing a Stag 1547

Léon Davent created this print, *Diana and Her Nymphs Pursuing a Stag*, around the 1550s. It's an etching, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate – probably iron in this case, because the lines are a bit crude. The plate would then have been inked, and run through a press to transfer the design onto paper. The real artistry here lies in Davent’s skill as a draughtsman, seen in his ability to create a whole world of detail, drama, and depth through nothing more than line. Notice how the density of the marks builds up areas of shadow and mass, giving the figures volume and energy. The subject matter is a classical scene, but the printmaking process was very much of the Renaissance. It was still a relatively new medium at this time, and one that democratized images, making them much more widely available than paintings. So, while Davent was certainly a highly skilled artist, he was also participating in an industry that was beginning to change the way people saw the world. This work stands as a testament to the importance of printmaking as both a means of artistic expression, and social transformation.