Summer c. 1712 - 1713

Ignatius van Logteren sculpted this stone figure of Summer sometime between 1685 and 1732. Logteren was one of the most important sculptors in Amsterdam in the early 18th century, where classicism was very fashionable. The Dutch Golden Age was coming to an end and the Netherlands was losing its place as a dominant power in Europe. This sculpture of Summer is representative of the conservative Baroque classicism that dominated Dutch art at the time. The sculpture references classical Greek and Roman sculpture. In doing so, it presents an idealised image of beauty. The fact that this sculpture was commissioned at all speaks to the importance of art as a status symbol. Whether it was commissioned by a public institution or a private individual, it reflects the patron’s own taste and social position. Archival research might reveal the patron's personal motivations in commissioning this artwork. What did they want to communicate about themselves?