Personificatie van de zomer 1710 - 1725

Curator: The allegorical nature of this image is so strong; it practically radiates symbolic meaning. Editor: Indeed! It's quite luminous for an engraving, isn’t it? I get a strong sense of bounty and perhaps regal power, but also... a controlled heat, if that makes sense. Curator: It does. We’re looking at a work entitled “Personification of Summer,” made sometime between 1710 and 1725 by Marie Jeanne Renard du Bos. The engraving style places it firmly within the classical realism style, showcasing a Baroque flair. Editor: Ah, I can see the Baroque influence in the theatricality of the composition. She sits upon the clouds almost like a goddess. The lion seems… less a beast and more a powerful throne? And the putto with the scythe only heightens the sense of orchestrated grandeur. What could the image say about social and political currents? Curator: The historical context is crucial. Consider the socio-political functions of Baroque art: powerful people were visually associated with wealth, religion, and power. In what ways were women granted a similar power in the visual field, if at all? To depict Summer in such a way certainly elevates the season— and perhaps those who could profit from it —to near-mythic status. But how might class relations come into play as well? Does this image portray a "summer" available to all? Editor: An interesting point. And of course, the season has historically provided a lot of work to field-hands. It's easy to see her now not only as an idyllic picture but also a symbol of labor politics! How these paintings ended up in museum collections is political as well! Curator: Absolutely! This kind of art served particular functions and served particular interests within its time. But looking at how it translates and impacts modern sensibilities, that, too, becomes a vital act of critique. Editor: These layered readings really do unveil how an apparently straightforward depiction, even of something as seemingly innocuous as ‘summer’, reveals itself as embedded within intricate power dynamics. Thank you, Curator! Curator: The pleasure was mine! Thank you, Editor.