Diana and Callisto

I can't say I'm breathing a sigh of relief over the news that Titian's Diana and Callisto (1556-59) has been saved for the nation (title link). The painting depicts the moment when the goddess Diana is shown that her maid Callisto is pregnant by Jupiter. Diana is miffed by this betrayal. The female anatomy of the painting is dubious, its perspective flaky; it badly needs a clean - the hound lying in the foreground is little more than a patch of mud - and it has nothing to do with Britain or British art, apart from being owned by the Duke of Sutherland's family for generations. The Duke generously knocked £5m off his asking price of £50m. The National Gallery contributed £25m, the Heritage Lottery Fund £3m, the Art Fund £2, and grants from individual donors and trusts £15. CLICK for a larger graphic.