Landscape with the Discovery of Callisto’s Pregnancy c. 1630 - 1640

Cornelis van Poelenburch painted this small panel depicting the story of Callisto, a nymph in Diana's retinue, sometime in the 17th century. Here we see Diana and her nymphs bathing. Amongst them is Callisto, whose pregnancy, the result of a liaison with Zeus, is revealed, leading to her expulsion. Note the ruin in the background, an enduring symbol of a lost, perhaps idealized, past. The theme of a woman’s body being discovered links to other artworks across time, in which emotional and psychological aspects engage the viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Take, for example, the figure of Eve, whose nakedness after the Fall is a potent symbol of loss of innocence. Or consider Susanna surprised by the elders. These images tap into deep-seated anxieties about transgression and exposure. The cycle of revelation, shame, and expulsion is perpetually rediscovered, resurfacing in art and human consciousness across time.