DescriptionThis drawing represents the story of Diana and Actaeon, as told in Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book III: 138-253). Perched atop a rocky outcropping at the upper left, Actaeon looks down upon Diana, who is bathing in the company of nymphs in an enclosed wooded setting. As the bathers attempt to cover themselves, Diana splashes water at the intruder, who is being transformed into a stag as punishment. Although the function served by the drawing is not known for certain, it is likely to have been made as a study for a cabinet painting. The conception of this subject in vertical format is unusual and would be well suited for this purpose.

Signatures, Inscriptions, and MarkingsInscriptions: Old mount, recto, upper left, in graphite: d.t.(?); upper right, in graphite: Kat 63/650; lower left, in pen and brown ink: i; in graphite: 14; over this, in pen and brown ink: No. 1; lower center, in graphite (?): N.29; over this, in pen and brown ink: 29; at lower right, in graphite: B.Spranger. Old mount, verso, upper left, annotations in graphite: Spranger (and in pen and brown ink): Achille Rijhiner; right-center, in pen and brown ink: Portefeuille No 7 Dessein No 50 (Mark of John Strange); below, in graphite: WAW; lower right, in graphite: Sl; below, in graphite: Lpz Sul. [?]/C Weigel [?]/Entr 1867 ou Apr 68/[...].

ProvenanceArchille Ryhiner-Delon (1731 - 1788); John Strange (1732 - 1799)