Vertumnus & Pomona 1619

Curator: Take a moment with me to observe Peter Paul Rubens’s oil painting, “Vertumnus and Pomona," dating from 1619. Editor: There's such a vibrant, almost feverish quality to it. The rich colors and plump forms practically leap from the canvas, embodying sensuality and abundance. Curator: It’s quite remarkable. Rubens paints this moment from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses,* where Vertumnus, god of seasons and gardens, woos Pomona, a nymph devoted to her orchard. His persistence ultimately persuades her. It offers an ideal of courtly love but within a politically constructed myth. Editor: Seeing the mythological through the lens of its materiality, Rubens’s technique strikes me. The underpainting seems crucial in creating those glowing flesh tones and the dynamic layering of paint enhances the sheer opulence of the fabrics and overflowing basket of fruit. It reflects the material culture of its time. How much would those textiles or even a painting this large have cost to produce? Curator: An interesting point, indeed! Patrons such as royalty and high nobility helped to build the reputations and, thus, studios of artists like Rubens. So, they could and would be employed as an instrument for the patron's self-representation, with art serving as a tangible display of power, knowledge, and sophistication. Think, the placement of art in particular rooms and settings for deliberate cultural purposes. Editor: I agree. Note how the artist’s own workshop process plays a significant part. His process involves not only the labor within the studio itself but how paintings, prints and drawings circulated to build their own economy. That itself becomes a commentary on the burgeoning art market. Curator: That’s an astute observation of the conditions that shaped it. Ultimately, “Vertumnus and Pomona” becomes more than just an illustration; it reflects the intertwined socio-political forces. Editor: And to me, examining the techniques used reminds me how deeply materiality and craft are embedded within this so-called high art, and just how many hands contribute to a painter like Rubens' success and lasting presence.