Who painted Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt?

Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt was painted by Unknown in 1890.

Where can I see Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt?

Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt?

Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt

Unknown , 1890

Diana or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt is an unspecified painting by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work portrays a winged female figure identified with the huntress goddess Diana, known in Greek mythology as Artemis.

About this work

Overview

The work portrays a winged female figure identified with the huntress goddess Diana, known in Greek mythology as Artemis. She is shown wearing a short skirt, a British-style crown, and holding a spear, while a stag stands at her left side. The composition merges iconographic elements from several cultural traditions.

Subject & Meaning

The figure combines attributes of the Roman and Greek deities of the hunt with visual cues drawn from Indian religious art, such as the stylised hair reminiscent of Hindu goddesses. This syncretic portrayal reflects a broader 19th‑century Indian interest in re‑interpreting foreign myths through local visual language.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Kalighat school of painting, the piece employs the bold outlines, flat colour fields, and simplified forms characteristic of this Kolkata‑based genre. The style, developed by itinerant artists for mass‑produced prints, often incorporated eclectic motifs and a direct, graphic aesthetic.

Context

Kalighat painters worked in the bustling precincts of the Kalighat temple during the late 1800s, catering to a diverse clientele that included colonial officials and Indian patrons. The painting’s blend of European regal symbols and Indian divine iconography illustrates the cultural exchanges that shaped visual production in colonial Bengal.