Diana of Versailles is a striking example of artist Yinka Shonibare’s distinctive animated figurative sculptures clothed in historical costume made from Dutch wax batik fabric. It depicts Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting and wild animals, wearing a brightly patterned, pleated knee-length tunic and sandals. She is represented mid-stride as if in pursuit of her prey. In her left hand she holds the antlers of the small deer that rears up beside her, while her right hand reaches behind her back to draw an arrow from her quiver.
The classical style of antique statuary is transformed by Shonibare’s uniquely designed signature patterns, painted directly onto its surface. The figure’s head is replaced by a hand-painted watercolour globe of a contemporary map, a motif alluding to a universal human identity. Diana of Versailles is reimagined for a domestic setting, whilst retaining the dramatic impact of the antique style.
Shonibare’s sculpture is partially based on a restored Roman marble copy of a lost Greek bronze attributed to Leochares that was given by Pope Paul IV to Henry II of France in 1556, with a subtle reference to the King's mistress, Diane de Poitiers. It was prominently based at the Château de Fontainebleau before being removed to the Louvre prior to its installation at Versailles by Louis XIV.
