Bust of Diana 1725 - 1739

This is Michiel Emanuel Shee's marble "Bust of Diana," created sometime before his death in 1740. The sculpture presents Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, with a formal yet fluid grace. Notice how the cool, smooth marble is expertly shaped to convey a sense of calm and contained energy. The draping fabric across her torso, the gentle turn of her head, and the soft contours of her face all work together to create a dynamic tension between stillness and movement. Shee uses a structured pedestal, with its classical, architectural lines, to add to the overall impact, literally elevating the goddess. The statue engages with cultural and philosophical discourses around idealized beauty and power. The smoothness of the marble, combined with the calculated composition, invites ongoing interpretation.