Houdon’s Diana, originally made for Duke Ernest II of Saxe-Gotha, was purchased in 1784 by Catherine II of Russia and was part of the Hermitage collections, from where Gulbenkian acquired it in 1930. The plaster model was first presented in 1777, although the theme accompanied the artist’s career in the form of bronze pieces and reductions.

Houdon depicted the Roman goddess of the moon and hunting according to an original approach, naked and in motion. The sculpture caused controversy at first due to its full nudity, which was unusual for the customs of the time. In addition to the usual attributes (the bow, the arrows and the moon), Houdon created support points in the marble to sustain the work’s weight by inserting plants at its base.

The timeless beauty of Diana made her a unique example of the balanced French sculpture produced during the reign of Louis XVI and it is a work that materialises a perfect synthesis between inspiration from classical antiquity and the anatomical naturalism deriving from direct observation of the live model.