In the Flesh: Diana and Actaeon (1836)
Form in motion, no. 5
trees dimmed in wet light stag skin yields to canine tongue shock primes the meat white
Contextual Note
In the lower center of the painting, Corot includes the story of Diana and Actaeon. The hunter, having come upon the goddess bathing, is transformed into a stag and ultimately pursued by his own dogs.
The moment of attack is suggested through the shadow of a stag on the left-hand side and, on the right, a hound in rapid motion. The myth is embedded within a natural landscape, reflecting Corot’s interest in the environment as more than a backdrop.
Adapted from audio description by The Metropolitan Museum of Art