Getty Museum
Diana and Her Nymphs Bathing
Creator
Jean-François de TroyFrench Artist · 1679–1752
All works by this person →Jean-François de Troy made *tableaux de mode* famous. Rather than the idyllic, theatrical depictions of his predecessors, De Troy showed the life of fashionable French society in a detailed, accurate, and non-judgmental way. The lively, social De Troy made portraits, historical, mythological, and religious paintings. Born into a family of painters, De Troy studied with his father, then attended th
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- 1722–1724
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Culture
- French
- Department
- Paintings
- Institution
- Getty Museum
In the *Metamorphoses*, the Roman poet Ovid described how nymphs bathed Diana, the goddess of the hunt, in a stream of clear water. Jean-François de Troy portrayed the moment after the bath when the nymphs are drying Diana's body and refastening her tunic. To the left, a nymph attempts to shield Diana's nudity from a lecherous river god's sight. De Troy's choice of subject matter and the description of the women's flesh—creamy white with a pink blush tint—give this painting an erotic charge. The river god, watching the scene voyeuristically from the side, becomes a stand-in for the viewer. Like in this painting’s pendant, [*Pan and Syrinx*](http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/732/jean-francois-de-troy-pan-and-syrinx-french-1722-1724/), De Troy used a warm palette of autumnal and pastel colors to describe the surrounding foliage and sky. Layers of glazes intensify the glowing tones.
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