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Acteaon and His Hounds
(Baroque Europe )
In the Roman writer Ovid's tale of the unfortunate Actaeon, the hunter accidentally came across Diana, the chaste goddess of the moon and the hunt, and her nymphs bathing in a forest lake. No mortal was permitted to see Diana naked and live. She transformed Actaeon into a stag, and he was torn apart by his own hunting dogs. In this statuette, only the head of the fallen Actaeon has taken on its animal shape.
Although small, this figure group displays remarkably complex movement that is directed both toward and away from its center. This dynamism is characteristic of the baroque style and contributes to the statuette's appeal.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Mr. Mathias Komor, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1957, by purchase.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 5/4/1970 | Treatment | examined for condition; cleaned |
Geographies
Italy, Genoa
(Place of Origin)
United Kingdom, England (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 4 × W: 3 1/4 × D: 2 5/8 in. (10.1 × 8.2 × 6.6 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, 1957
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.2432