Diana 1778

Jean-Antoine Houdon sculpted this marble bust of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, sometime in the late 18th century. Diana, poised and alert, is adorned with the crescent moon, a symbol deeply rooted in ancient lunar cults. Consider the continuous metamorphosis of the lunar symbol. In ancient Mesopotamia, the moon god Sin was depicted with a crescent, embodying wisdom. Later, the Greeks associated the crescent with Artemis, Diana’s counterpart, goddess of the wilderness, and protector of young girls. This symbol, initially linked to masculine wisdom, shifted to represent feminine power and the untamed. The persistence of the lunar crescent reflects humanity’s enduring fascination with the moon’s cyclical rhythms. It is a visual mnemonic, carrying layers of meaning that resonate in our collective subconscious, reminding us of the ever-changing dance between light and darkness. Houdon’s Diana is a powerful emblem of these layered meanings, engaging our senses and evoking a visceral, emotional response to this age-old symbol. The symbol, like the moon itself, continues its cyclical progression through time.