Small statuettes of nude figures were popular cabinet items from the sixteenth century onwards. Often, as in this case, the figure was identified as a classical deity by way of attributes. This figure, from the crescent moon on her forehead, represents Diana the Huntress and Goddess of the Moon. The sculptor, Leonhard Kern, who was from the town of Schwäbisch Hall in Baden-Württemberg, specialised in such small figures, executing them in both wood and ivory. The pose and proportions of this statuette suggest that Kern was influenced by sculptures he saw during his visit to Italy.
