Diana the Huntress

Well, hello there, Diana. Or should we say, Diane? This painting is widely believed to be a not-so-subtle tribute to Diane de Poitiers, the famously powerful mistress of King Henry II of France. Having yourself painted as the Roman goddess of the hunt was apparently the 16th-century equivalent of a power move, and the ladies of the French court were all about it. The artist, an unknown painter from the School of Fontainebleau, certainly understood the assignment. The style is pure French Mannerism, which favored elegant, elongated figures and an air of cool, contrived sophistication. Diana’s silhouette is so gracefully stretched and smooth, it verges on boyish, a look that defined this "cold eroticism" popular at the time. This particular aesthetic was imported to the French court by Italian artists, who were hired to give the royal palaces a chic, modern makeover. Naturally, she comes with all the essential goddess accessories. The crescent moon in her hair is a dead giveaway for a moon goddess, while the bow and quiver signal she's a huntress. Even the dog is symbolic, representing fidelity and the refined art of the chase. It’s a mythological portrait, a status symbol, and a history lesson all rolled into one impossibly elegant figure.