Diana and Callisto 1725 - 1761

Philipp Hieronymus Brinckmann created this red chalk drawing, Diana and Callisto, in the mid-18th century. It depicts a scene from Ovid’s Metamorphoses where the goddess Diana discovers that her nymph, Callisto, is pregnant. Brinckmann's era was one of strict social structures, particularly concerning women's bodies and roles. This drawing exists within that context, capturing a moment of exposure and judgment. Callisto’s exposed body is not presented as powerful or sensual but as vulnerable and ashamed. The drawing renders Callisto’s violation and subsequent shaming. The emotional core of the scene lies in Callisto’s desperate gesture and the condemning gazes of Diana and her attendants. The drawing is a potent reminder of how societal expectations, especially around female purity, have historically led to the shaming and othering of women. It serves as a visual record of the personal tragedies that occur when individual lives intersect with rigid social norms.