Homage to Pomona 1734

Curator: Hendrik Carré II’s “Homage to Pomona,” dating to 1734 and now residing in the Rijksmuseum, is a charcoal drawing, and something about the sepia tones create a slightly aged impression. Editor: The overall tone definitely feels antique, like peering at a classical frieze or tapestry rendered in monochrome. What exactly are we looking at in terms of materials? Is this charcoal on paper, and what kind of paper allows for that incredible preservation? Curator: Indeed, it’s charcoal on paper. The paper quality is a testament to archival practices of the time. As for what’s being represented, we see an allegorical scene paying tribute to Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. Statues and figures cavort amidst bountiful flora, presenting symbolic offerings. Note the garlands, the cornucopia overflowing with blossoms… these are visual metaphors for prosperity and fertility. Editor: Metaphors, yes, but also real materials harvested, arranged, transported. Someone gathered those flowers, wove those garlands. Look at the cherubs handling what appear to be fully blooming blossoms— the sheer labor involved suggests more than simple homage. It speaks to the management of estates, trade in luxury items and the very human relationship between abundance and control. How does this link to ideas surrounding country life? Curator: Well, the idealized imagery evokes a pastoral Arcadia. However, the inclusion of classical statues suggests this isn’t just about celebrating rustic simplicity. These are signifiers of culture, of a refined understanding and aspiration. The landscape then becomes a stage set upon which elite intellectual pursuits unfold. Editor: That artifice is critical. The medium of charcoal – think about it. It's partially burned wood, which in itself has layers of significance - it's carbon based. Look at the precise details; how meticulously each form is rendered, as a medium it reflects control, while still hinting to ephemerality Curator: A potent observation. And thinking about the overall composition, it does appear like Carré is building not just an image, but an entire world populated by ancient and contemporary symbolic language intended for enlightenment. Editor: Yes, seeing the remnants of what amounts to a carefully plotted theater – complete with props both artistic and organic opens into wider discussions around societal constructs embedded within the production and depiction of beauty. I now understand more acutely its relationship with materials, processes, and their implicit social value. Curator: And the cyclical and enduring significance of archetypal stories and their potent visual translations are amplified with an examination of that type.