Myths and legends: Titian's 'Diana and Actaeon'

Excellent workshop at the National Gallery looking in detail at Diana and Actaeon by Titian as part of a new series on pictures whose subject is myths and legends.

We began by looking at the source of the story, Ovid, and how the poem was reflected in the picture. We also looked at the fact it was part of a commission from Philip II of Spain for a series of myth pictures or Poesies and how these were late paintings by Titian which gave him a lot of freedom in their composition.

We spent a lot of time at the painting itself discussing the composition and listening to reading of the section from Ovid and discussing what was included and left out.

Finally we returned to the seminar room to talk about the greater meaning of the story and larger themes in in such as the difference between about sight and the act of looking, a popular theme with artists.

I came away with a much greater understanding of the work and felt I had looked at it in much more detail than before. You never know I might even read Ovid!

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