Francesco Fanelli - Acteaon and His Hounds - Walters 542432

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.

The story of Diana and Actaeon is a classical myth from ancient Greece. Actaeon was a hunter who stumbled upon the goddess Diana while she was bathing in a forest pool. Outraged by his intrusion, Diana splashed water on him and, as punishment, turned him into a stag. Actaeon's own hunting dogs, recognizing their master, chased and killed him. This story is often interpreted as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hubris or arrogance, as well as a celebration of the power and majesty of the goddess Diana.