Gedicht bij het portret van Jan Pietersz. Zomer door Nicolaas Verkolje 1717

This artwork, "Gedicht bij het portret van Jan Pietersz. Zomer door Nicolaas Verkolje" by Jan Goeree, is an engraving. Here, we see text lamenting the loss of Zomers, a man whose name evokes associations with summertime and perhaps a time of flourishing in the arts. The text suggests that even with the "summer" gone, art will not wither. "Zomer" can be seen as a symbol of vitality and artistic inspiration. This motif of associating seasons with periods of creativity and cultural vibrancy has roots stretching back to classical antiquity. Think of how the Renaissance, meaning "rebirth," was itself a re-awakening after a dormant period. The cyclical pattern of death and renewal, as mirrored in seasonal changes, plays on our subconscious understanding of time and cultural movements. This engraving encapsulates the hope that even after a perceived decline, art—like spring after winter—will inevitably return.