French, walnut panel, carved in low relief with a recumbent figure of Diana, within an oval border, ca.1540-50

Panel formed from a single wide panel, horizontally grained, carved in high relief. The design consists of a naked reclining female figure set within a shaped oval cartouche with gadrooned ornament and bifurcating scrolls at the cardinal points and pomegranates at the corners, with naked reclining figures at the four 'corners', those at the top corners with horns, those at the bottom with spears. The cartouche contains a landscape scene with the virtually naked figure of the goddess Diana reclining on a tree-stump under a cloudy sky. She is wearing a head-dress (her hair up), with the crescent moon on her forehead, and a loose cloak, and over one shoulder a quiver of arrows; she is holding a bow in her right hand and in her left hand an arrow (pointing at her belly), and is accompanied by three dogs. In the background are trrees and a building in low relief.

Visible from the back are small infill areas: near the upper corners on each end and on the top edge centre (and old nail holes as for a lock), and towards each corner along the lower edge.

Bought for £4, 4s. 2d. from Calcerrada, Madrid (no nominal file survives in VA Registry).
See Robinson's report no. 4466, 10 march 1864.
Note that a Central Inventory entry also gives a conflicting entry for 247-1864: Casket, probably a case for a missal, covered with crimson velvet and embroidered in arabesque scroll and leaf-blossom pattern, with gold thread raised in portions. Italian or Spanish. About 1540. H. 4 in., L. 9 1/4in., W. 6 1/2in. 1L. 1s

Panels with a reclining figure, of a similar size and style feature on the front of French, mid-sixteenth-century chests eg. Chest with figure of Neptune, Ecouen 484, or Oak chest with David and Bathsheba (Normandy?, late 16th century, HWD: 93.5 x 164 x 71cm, Ecouen E.Cl. 9392) , but as this was presumably a floating panel it seems more likely that it formed part of panelled woodwork, such as the back of a large dressoir, eg the 'buffet de Ville' (1595-1600) by J. Carlin and J. Périer (Musée du château, Montbéliard) illustrated in Thirion p.117.

The pose of the reclining figure of Diana in this panel has not been traced to a single model but may be related to several designs: in body position and raised arm, the large canvas of Diana with Cupid and Cerberus flanking the fireplace of the Salle de Bal, after designs by Primaticcio (1504-70); in reclining elbow and bow, the drawing of Adonis with Venus and Cupid by Primaticcio (Réunion des musées nationaux, inv. 8541); in the extended arm and arrow, the bas relief of Diana reclining from Chaturea d’Anet by Jean Goujon (?) c.1550-1600 (Cluny, E.CL, 19279) and the etching, Diana resting, after Primaticcio (Bartsch 1818, XVI. 39 or Zerner, 1969, LD13); in the position of body and legs, the painting ‘Eva Prima Pandora’ by Jean Cousin, c.1550 (musée du Louvre).

Images of Diana with numerous variations are found in many media (paint, sculpture, ceramic, enamel and woodwork) of the decorative arts in France c.1550-1600. Many were probably influenced by the decorations at the Chateau de Fontainebleau thought to be a homage to Diane de Poitiers, mistress of the French king Henri II, and boiseries in the King's chamber at the Louvre designed by Lescot and executed by the workshop of Scibec de Carpi..

Diana was one of the 12 gods and goddesses of Olympus. When portrayed as a virgin huntress she is tall and slim, with a short tunic and her hair tied back. She carries a bow and quiver or javelin and is accompanied by dogs or a stag. Her chariot is drawn by stags. Her attribute is a crescent moon worn over her brow. After hunting, Diana rests; sometimes she sleeps, her nymphs also, her weapons lying about her on the ground together with an abundance of dead game. Diane de Poitiers (d.1570), the mistress of Henri II of France (1547-59), was sometimes portrayed as the goddess Diana, with her attributes. (Hall's Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art)

This panel probably formed part of a large piece of furniture such as the panelled upper part of a large buffet or dresser. It shows Diana, one of the 12 ancient Greek gods and goddesses of Olympus. When portrayed as a virgin huntress she is tall and slim, with a short tunic and her hair tied back, and her personal attribute is a crescent moon worn over her brow. She carries a bow and quiver or javelin and is accompanied by dogs or a stag.

Diane de Poitiers (d.1570), the mistress of the French king Henri II (1547-59), was sometimes portrayed as the goddess Diana, notably at the Chateau de Fontainebleau. The pose of the reclining figure of Diana in this panel has not been traced to a single model but may be related to several designs after the influential artist Francesco Primaticcio (1504-70).

247-1864