Diana and Actaeon c. 18th century

Editor: This is William Woollett's "Diana and Actaeon," made in 1785. It's an engraving, so it's full of detail. I find the story depicted quite haunting. What emotional weight do you find embodied in these figures? Curator: The story itself is a powerful symbol for transgression and its consequences. Actaeon's gaze, an intrusion upon the sacred, transforms him into the hunted. Consider Diana's pose - is it wrathful, or does it carry a hint of sorrow for the price of such violation? Editor: That's a striking point about Diana’s possible sorrow. I was so focused on Actaeon's fate I hadn't considered her perspective. Curator: The image becomes a mirror reflecting not just divine retribution, but the delicate balance between reverence and destruction inherent in the act of seeing. Editor: It's fascinating to see how much a single image can reveal about the power of symbols.