Plate 12: Diana standing in a niche, twisting to her left and pulling an arrow out of a quiver, with a deer to her right, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses" 1526

Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio created this engraving of Diana, goddess of the hunt, sometime in the mid-16th century. Caraglio was an Italian printmaker working at a time when printed images were facilitating the spread of artistic ideas across Europe. Here, the naked Diana embodies classical ideals of beauty and heroism. The image creates meaning through visual codes and classical references, presenting Diana as both powerful and serene. Made in Italy, this print reflects the Renaissance fascination with classical mythology, serving as a visual language that spoke to elite society. Printmaking workshops depended on wealthy patrons and functioned within a complex economic and political system. The historian can research how this image circulated, who owned it, and how it influenced artistic tastes. Through this approach, we begin to see how art is not just an aesthetic object, but a social phenomenon, shaped by the conditions of its time.