Diana en Callisto 1707

Bernard Picart created this engraving of Diana and Callisto sometime between 1683 and 1733. It depicts a scene of intimacy and betrayal amongst women. During the 17th and 18th centuries, representations of female nudes were quite popular, often drawing from classical mythology. Picart’s composition fits within this tradition, but the narrative of Diana and Callisto also reveals the complex politics of gender and power at the time. We see Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon, banishing her nymph Callisto after discovering she is pregnant, having broken her vow of chastity. The setting is lush and secluded, yet the emotional atmosphere is thick with tension. The gazes and gestures of the figures convey a mix of shock, accusation, and shame. Picart captures a moment of reckoning, reflecting society’s severe judgement of female sexuality and transgression. This engraving prompts us to consider how women’s bodies and desires have historically been policed and punished.