Mei: Jongevrouw met een bloemenkrans 1670 - 1726

This engraving, titled *Mei: Jongevrouw met een bloemenkrans*, or *May: Young woman with a flower garland*, presents a figure adorned with flowers, embodying the freshness of spring. Made by an anonymous artist, its existence speaks volumes about the cultural values and aesthetic preferences of its time. The image operates within a tradition of allegorical representation, common during the early modern period, where the seasons were often personified as female figures. This young woman, surrounded by lush vegetation, not only symbolizes the month of May but also evokes ideas of fertility, renewal, and the beauty of the natural world. Yet, consider the cultural context in which such images circulated: how did ideas about youth, femininity, and nature intersect with prevailing social norms and expectations? While celebrating the vitality of spring, the image also subtly reinforces gendered ideals, positioning women as emblems of beauty and fecundity. What does it mean that the artist of this image is unknown to us?