Diana and Actaeon

Joachim Wtewael, who was familiar with the painting of Mannerism because of his training in Florence and Fontainebleau, belonged to a group of Dutch painters who were active in Catholic Utrecht in particular and who completely adopted the style of Bartholomäus Spranger with his twisted figures depicted in complicated motion. The story from Greek mythology of the hunter Actaeon who because of his curiosity was turned into a stag by the goddess Diana offered the painter the opportunity of showing numerous lively nude figures in a forest landscape.