Diana Returning from the Hunt is an 18th-century oil painting by the French Rococo artist François Boucher. Painted in 1745, the work depicts Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, as she gracefully returns from an expedition, accompanied by nymphs and hunting dogs. The painting exemplifies Boucher's signature style, characterized by soft pastel colors, delicate brushwork, and an idealized portrayal of the female form. Reflecting the mythological and sensual themes popular in Rococo art, the composition conveys a sense of elegance and playfulness, blending classical mythology with the artist's distinctively ornate and decorative aesthetic. Today, Diana Returning from the Hunt is regarded as a quintessential example of Boucher's mastery in mythological storytelling and courtly refinement.

The physical composition of Diana Returning from the Hunt is marked by a dynamic, yet harmonious arrangement of figures, color, and space, further characteristic of the Rococo's influence on Boucher. Diana, the central figure, is depicted with soft, fluid curves, poised graceful in the direct foreground. She is resting in a semi-inclined posture, her body partially turned toward the viewer. Her face is gentle and serene, framed by pinned-back curls, and she is loosely wrapped in simple gossamer drapery that suggests a feeling of movement and softness. The softness, juxtaposed with the confidence of her pose, emphasizes her beauty and feminine grace characterized by the crossed legs, and the opening of the drapery exposing her chest. One of her feet rests bare in the water below her, the other with her sandal on, reminding viewers of her recent hunt despite the naturalistic, calming scene. Diana is also flanked to her right and viewer's left with a quiver of arrows and a bow, as well as a dead rabbit, bird, and animal pelt, continuing to remind viewers that despite Diana's femininity and serenity, she remains the goddess of the hunt.

Across from Diana seats her attendants, who are three minor women that serve to enhance the mythological narrative. The three women being depicted as below Diana show their lack of importance when compared to the goddess, while also being depicted in a similar feminine fashion with the same hairstyle of tied-back curls, and open drapery to expose their chests, furthering the emphasis on their femininity. The postures of the three women are gentle and composed as they sit on the forest floor, accentuating their connection to nature, and contributing to the overall sense of calmness in the scene. The overlapping of their bodies as opposed to the entirety of Diana's elongated body group the three attendants together in their place of lesser importance. Two of the women, along with Diana, are seen picking at a dead bird in the center of the painting, juxtaposing the tranquility and femininity of not only Diana, but the attendants as well.

The color palette is dominated by soft pastels--pinks, creams, light greens, and blues--in the foreground surrounding the women that enhance the gentle, serene mood of the composition, and set the figures apart from the dark greens and browns of the verdant landscape behind. These pastel tones blend seamlessly into one another across skin and fabric, creating a sense of unity and fluidity. The subtle use of light on Diana's skin and fabric of her gown contribute to the ethereal quality of the image, and the dark colors composing the background fabricate a sense of mystery associated with the natural world.

The composition of the piece is fairly symmetrical, but guides the viewer's eye from the upper left-hand-side of the piece, where Diana's head and shoulder are, to the bottom right-hand-side with the three attendants. The pool of water at the bottom of the piece, the winding branches in the upper left-hand-corner, and the wispy clouds in the top right side contribute to the sense of fluidity and movement, all while creating a triangle of natural elements with the four women in the center.

The textures in the painting are soft and smooth, from the delicate rendering of flesh and fabric to the soft, almost velvety quality of the landscape. The brushstrokes are light and refined, while avoiding harsh contrasts of each figure, and embracing the contrast between figure and background, contributing to the delicate and sensual feel of the Rococo style, and hinting at the darkness and mystery of Diana's hunt left behind her.

One theme from Diana Returning from the Hunt is the commitment to idyllic beauty and femininity. A common theme from the Rococo period, this painting emphasizes a romantic version of beauty and femininity through its depiction of poised, softly lit nymphs and the Roman goddess Diana. The figures's partial nudity, bare skin, graceful poses, and loose drapery or garments highlight their etherial and feminine nature. Specifically, this elegant posing of the nymphs was used by Boucher in previous works, particularly of the goddess Diana, such as in Diana at the Bath (1742), to emphasize feminine poise.^[1]

Another theme within this painting is the emphasis on the lush portrayal of nature. The painting depicts a pool of water, trees behind the figures in the foreground, and hunted birds and rabbits beside the figure of Diana. Paintings created by Boucher as matching overdoors to Diana Returning from the Hunt, including The Exchange of Confidences (Les Confidences Pastorales) (1745) and Erigone Conquered (Erigone vaincue) (1745) are thought to depict nymphs from the Greek Vale of Tempe and Arcadia, suggesting a similar lush setting within this painting. While this painting holds a Rococo emphasis on nature, Boucher would go on to include increasingly country-side figures within his pastorals in later years.^[1]

A major theme within this painting is a call to classical mythology. The central figure of this painting is Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. There are several indicators that this figure is in fact Diana, including the crescent moon in her hair, the leopard skin to her left, her quiver of arrows, and the secondary position of the nymphs to her right. These are all typical signifiers of the Roman goddess Diana's identity within art. Boucher's inclusion of these symbols strengthen the identify the central figure as Diana, despite her originally ambiguous status.^[1]