Diana and Her Companions

Diana and her Companions

 

Mauritshuis, The Hague (1653-1656)

 

Resource: http://www.essentialvermeer.com/catalogue/diana_and_her_companions.html

 

 

Winter  was  already  gone  and  under  an  amazingly  bright  sun, nature  came  to  life  again . Different  colour tonalities  appeared  everywhere.  The  lands  were  covered  by a carpet  made of  green  grass  and daisies were in the grass as stars in a  starry night.  Buds  were opening  and  insects  started  to  court  them. With  the melt  of  the  mountains,  the  flow  of  the  river  raised  and  fishes  started  to  prepare  their mating.

 

It was a perfect day for hunting. Diana and her companions  set  out  early  in  the  morning  with  the aim  of  bringing  some  food  for  dinner.  With the  arrival of spring animals used to  go out from their burrows  so  the  girls   knew  it was  going  to  be  a  successful  hunting  day.  They spent the entire day hunting  until   the   sun   got   tired   and  decided  to  disappear. With  the banish  of  the exhausted  sun, the  dark  night  came. That  nightfall  could  be interpreted  

 

as  a  reference  to  the relation between Diana and Selene (Goddess of the Moon). That relationship was clearly seen in Diana as she was  wearing a tiara decorated with  a  half  moon.  Diana was also both goddess  of  hunting  and  image  of  chastity.

 

         Diana  and  the  nymphs  were  also  tired  so  they decided  to sit down  on a rock  to have  a  rest  after  their  hard  working  day. One  of  the  nymphs   had  her  back  to  the  rest and  she  left  her  back  lightly  bare.  Another nymph  started  to clean Diana’s foot, preparing her for the bath, while a third one, dressed in dark clothes, was  contemplating  the  scene.  The fourth nymph, with blue skirt and red bodice, was trying  to relax  her exhausted  feet.

 

         While Diana was taking her everyday bath accompanied by her nymphs, no man could interrupt or even  contemplate  that moment. But  the  presence  of  the  dog and the thistle (image of masculinity)  were announcing  the  immediate  appearance  of  a masculine figure. Unfortunately, that prediction came true  and  Acteon (Cadmo’s  grandson _founder of Tebas_) broke  that  special  moment.

 

Acteon stopped in a stream with the aim of quenching his thirst. By chance, that was Diana’s  favourite  stream. She  used  to  take  there  her daily bath  so  Acteon  surprised  when  he  saw  the  goddess  naked.  Diana  noticed  his  presence. The  goddess  had such  irritation  that  decided  to cast a  spell  on  him.  She, then, threw  some  bewitched  water  drops  to  Acteon.  Those  drops  transformed  the  young man into a  deer. He  was  really  frightened  when  he  saw  that his  human  body  became  now  into  a  body  of  an  animal  so  he  escaped  running  as  fast  as  the  wind. But  his  hunting  dogs, confused  by  the  transformation, followed  him. But where they saw a young man, there  was  now  a  deer. Dogs, also  hungry  because  of  the  long  hunting  day, did  not  think  twice  and  jumped  over  Acteon. He  was  devoured  by  his  own  dogs.

 

Diana  and  her companions, when they finished with  the  bath, took  the  road  towards  their  place. Girls  were  returning  home  as  nothing  had  happened. That starry  night  became  suddenly  the  unique  witness  of  Acteon’s  disappearance.

 Posted by Iturbe