The Summer - Diana surprised by Actaeon

The Summer representing Diana Surprised by Actaeon from 1850 at the Sao Paulo Museum treats the Ovidian myth as a summer allegory. The hunter's intrusion on the bathing goddess represents the dangerous encounter with divine beauty. Delacroix's method combined rapid, gestural underpainting with careful final glazing, creating surfaces of extraordinary richness and warmth; his studio practice was meticulous despite the apparent spontaneity of the results.

The mythological scene is rendered with vibrant color and dynamic composition. Delacroix's handling of the woodland setting and nude figures creates a scene of mythological drama.