Diana and Endymion.
Aubusson tapestry of the nineteenth century from a cardboard by François Boucher.
Condition: Excellent condition
The subject is characteristic of the artist’s work and a taste for gallantry and country scenes. The campaign, sheeps, bird cage surround the three girls accompanied by a young man.
About the subject :
An avowed virgin, the huntress and moon goddess, Diana (Greek: Artemis), is rarely susceptible to the spells of Cupid or Venus. In one myth, however, Diana is deeply stirred by the beauty of Endymion, a sleeping shepherd she happens across in the woods. Night after night, she returns to admire him and sleep beside him. The desire remains unconsummated as Endymion is doomed to eternal sleep by the gods. According to some versions of the story, this serves as a punishment to the goddess for her unchaste thoughts, having dared even to consider abandoning her perpetual virginity. Such tales surely served as warnings to priestesses and other devotees of virgin goddesses.