Diana 1620 - 1664

This is a small print of the Roman goddess Diana, made by an anonymous artist. Diana, or Artemis in Greek mythology, has always been associated with the wild, with the hunt, and with the moon. Here, the goddess is portrayed with her traditional attributes: a bow and arrow, and accompanied by her dogs, symbols of her dominion over the animal kingdom. Diana represents a challenge to conventional gender roles. As a virgin goddess, she embodies independence and self-reliance. In many ways, her strength comes not from a male partner, but from a community of female nymphs. However, it is important to remember that Diana's autonomy is intrinsically linked to her upper-class status. In ancient Rome, the ability to move freely through the wilderness was a privilege, a world away from the lives of enslaved people and many women confined to domestic spaces.