Sleeping Diane: The Story Behind Donato Creti’s Dreamlike Drawing

This week’s featured lot highlights the timeless elegance of Italian draftsmanship. Donato Creti’s Sleeping Diane (1671–1749), executed in brown ink on buff paper, embodies both technical mastery and poetic stillness; a rare opportunity for collectors drawn to the quiet power of classical art.

The Artist: Donato Creti, 1671–1749


A leading painter and draftsman of the Bolognese school, Donato Creti was celebrated for his clarity of line and classical balance. Working in Bologna and Rome, he bridged the worlds of Baroque grandeur and Enlightenment elegance. His drawings, admired by connoisseurs in his lifetime, often explore mythological and allegorical subjects with a sense of serenity and light.

The Subject: Diana at Rest


The Roman goddess Diana, patron of the moon, the hunt, and chastity, is often depicted in motion, bow in hand and surrounded by her nymphs. Creti, however, chose a different moment: one of rest. Sleeping Diane invites viewers into a quiet woodland landscape, where the goddess lies peacefully beneath the trees. A distant castle rises in the background, anchoring the scene in an idealized Arcadian world where nature and divinity coexist in harmony.

A Masterclass in Ink and Atmosphere


Creti’s use of brown ink with delicate washes over buff paper gives the drawing a soft, luminous quality. Each stroke reveals his disciplined hand; precise yet expressive. The composition feels balanced and alive, proof of why his works were sought after by collectors across Europe. Though intimate in scale, it embodies the intellectual and emotional refinement that defined the Bolognese tradition.

The Collector’s Appeal
Today, drawings like Sleeping Diane remain prized for their rarity and immediacy. Unlike finished paintings, they offer a glimpse into the artist’s private world; the moment where imagination meets paper. Estimated at $4,000–$6,000 and opening at $2,000, this work presents an opportunity for collectors to own not just a drawing, but a piece of early 18th-century artistry and mythology.

A Timeless Moment
In Sleeping Diane, Creti captures more than a goddess at rest; he preserves the timeless hush between dream and daylight. It’s a work that reminds us why drawings—modest in medium but rich in meaning—remain among the most intimate expressions of an artist’s vision.

View the lot and register to bid at Bidsquare.com.