Diana and Endymion (Langlois)

The painting is by French artist Jérôme-Martin Langlois. It was displayed to acclaim at the Salon of 1819 and was completed in 1822 having been commissioned by Louis XVIII for his Salon of Diane at the Palace of Versailles. ==Description==

The painting is painted in the Neoclassical style and it is a depiction of one of the twelve Gods and Goddesses of Olympus: the Roman goddess Diana. She is falling in love with Endymion. The painting is an oil-on-canvas and its dimensions are x . ==Ownership==

In 1989 at an auction in New York, the American performer Madonna paid $1.3 million (equivalent to $ million in ) for a painting believed to be "almost identical" to the missing Diana and Endymion itself, but undated and without Langlois's signature. The painting Madonna purchased is smaller than the original and could be either a copy or the original painting with the date and signature removed. It was identified by an art curator from Amiens in the 2015 issue of Paris Match magazine that featured a photograph of Madonna's home. The Musée de Picardie has subsequently commenced legal action against unknown persons for the painting's theft. Madonna is not connected to the legal action by the city, and the Mayor of Amiens, Brigitte Fouré, does not contest that Madonna acquired the painting legally. Fouré appealed to Madonna to loan the painting to the city in a video in January 2023 so "our local inhabitants can rediscover this work and enjoy it". Amiens is bidding to be the European Capital of Culture in 2028. ==References==