Diana met sater en Cupido (in doos met 43 tekeningen) 1731

Louis Fabritius Dubourg made this drawing of Diana with a satyr and Cupid, as part of a series, likely during the first half of the 1700s. In this small drawing, Dubourg is participating in a visual culture that drew heavily on classical mythology, as a way of representing key social and psychological dynamics. Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon, was a popular figure in European art, often embodying ideals of chastity, independence, and skill. By placing her alongside a satyr and Cupid, Dubourg’s drawing seems to be exploring themes of desire and restraint, natural instinct and idealized love. The artist’s training likely involved the study of classical literature, access to collections of prints and drawings after antique sculpture, and membership in artistic academies. This drawing tells us about the classical sources of European art, but also the social networks and institutions through which art was made and understood. To better understand the meaning of this artwork, look at the imagery of love and desire from the period, paying attention to visual codes, literary sources, and the social and political contexts in which they were created.