Jupiter (in the guise of Diana) and Callisto
1733
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1733
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a goddess in a forest, her arm around a young woman, while an eagle watches from the shadows. The goddess is really Jupiter in disguise—he tricked Callisto, one of Diana’s followers, by looking like her. The eagle is the only clue. These stories of gods playing tricks were popular in Amsterdam homes at the time. De Wit painted them for fancy dining rooms, where guests could spot the hidden meanings. If you like this, look up *chiaroscuro*—how artists use light and dark to create drama.
