A royal commission, still together four centuries on
Titian paints a series of six large mythological canvases, known as the "poesie," for King Philip II of Spain, between 1551 and 1562, drawing on Ovid's Metamorphoses. Two of them now hang at the Scottish National Gallery: they have never been separated since they were painted, a rare case for a series of this scale and age.
1. Diana and Actaeon, bought for £50 million in 2009
Diana and Actaeon, painted between 1556 and 1559, shows the hunter Actaeon accidentally stumbling upon the goddess Diana and her nymphs bathing — the moment just before his punitive transformation into a stag, then torn apart by his own hounds. The painting belonged to the Duke of Sutherland's collection, on long-term loan to the two national galleries. When the family decided to sell, a public campaign raised £50 million in 2009 to buy it jointly, keeping it from leaving the country.
2. Diana and Callisto, the pair bought three years later
Diana and Callisto, painted in the same period, shows the nymph Callisto exposed by Diana in front of the other nymphs, her hidden pregnancy revealed. To keep the two paintings, conceived as a pair, together, the Duke of Sutherland's family agreed in 2012 to lower the asking price to £45 million, allowing for a second public campaign. Since then the two canvases have alternated every five years between Edinburgh and London; for the 2026-2030 rotation, both are on view at the Scottish National Gallery.
How much time
Two paintings conceived as a single composition: compare the light and composition of one against the other before moving on.
- Diana and Actaeon — 10 minutes.
- Diana and Callisto — 10 minutes.
Sources and verification
Checked against the official notices of the National Gallery, London and the National Galleries of Scotland (nationalgalleries.org) and cross-checked with Wikipedia EN/FR.
- National Gallery, London — 'Diana and Actaeon' is Secured for the Nation
- National Gallery, London — 'Diana and Callisto' secured for the public
- National Galleries of Scotland — Diana and Actaeon, Titian
- National Galleries of Scotland — Diana and Callisto, Titian
Displays and room openings can change. Check the Scottish National Gallery website on the day of your visit before following a route.
Listen to the commentary in the gallery
This route gives you a thread to follow. In front of an artwork, CulturAll adds the audio commentary: photograph the work or its label, listen, then ask your questions.
