Metamorphosis: Titian 2012

I have reasearched into the Metamorphosis of Titian that the royal ballet contributed to in order to create a modern body of work recently in 2012. Three contemporary artists were specially chosen to create their own unique vision based upon one of the three paintings by Titian. The three paintings are 'Diana and Actaeon,' 'The Death of Actaeon' and 'Diana and Callisto' which all portray a part of the peom 'Metamorphosis' by Ovid based upon the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana.

Diana And Actaeon - Titian - 1556-9

This image shows Actaeon, the hunter stumbling across Diana, Goddess of the Hunt bathing privately with her Nymphs and being extremely startled and trying to cover herself when she sees Actaeon. Her face is focused upon Actaeon with great rage and it is to be believed the deer skull seen in the image could represent the up and coming death of Actaeon. Ironic being Actaeon is represented by the very thing than him himself hunts. This image could however represent Diana drawing Actaeon into her trap and that maybe she caused him to get lost and stumble upon her. Is she really as innocent as it seems or is this just a great hunting technique she has? 

The Death Of Actaeon - Titian - 1559-75

The second image in the collection shows a fleeing Actaeon who is being mauled by his very own hounds and chased by Diana. Actaeon has begun transforming into a stag but it seems he only had to take the form of the stag head in order for his hounds to turn against him. Roles have been reversed and the hunter is now Diana. The painting is believed to be unfinished since Titian died and the painting was discovered in his studio but i think the overall effect really shows the fierce nature of Diana. 

Diana And Callisto - Titian - 1556

The final image in the series doesn't portray Actaeon but focuses upon the relationship between Diana and her favourite most beautiful Nymph Callisto. Diana is forcing her Nymphs to strip Callisto and make her bathe with them since she had not been bathing for 9months. It is discovered that Callisto is pregnant and Diana is furious. Callisto's beauty aroused the attention of Jupiter, King of all Gods. He seduced her by disguising himself as Diana and getting Callisto pregnant, How this happened is unknown. The image shows how brutal Diana can be by casting out her favourite Nymph like she is just another male that has stumbled across Diana's private bathing place. 

Nymph - A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.