Diana op een strijdwagen getrokken door herten 1669 - 1695

Augustin Jacques Renard de Saint-André created this engraving, "Diana on a Chariot Drawn by Deer," its date unknown. The composition is contained within an octagonal frame, giving a sense of a captured, celestial moment. Notice how the artist employs line and form to direct our gaze upward, following Diana's ascent. The swirling drapery and dynamic poses of the figures create a sense of movement, while the monochromatic palette emphasizes the play of light and shadow. Saint-André masterfully uses chiaroscuro to give depth to the scene, drawing attention to Diana as she is pulled by deer. The work presents a semiotic system rooted in classical mythology. Diana, goddess of the hunt, is a signifier of independence and power, yet is framed, suggesting a containment of the divine. This engraving functions not merely as a depiction, but as a carefully constructed tableau that invites us to consider the relationship between mythology, power, and representation.