Summer (Aestas) 1629

Wenceslaus Hollar, a 17th-century Bohemian printmaker, created this etching, Summer, a pastoral scene of leisure. Hollar lived through the tumultuous Thirty Years' War, an era marked by widespread conflict and social upheaval which profoundly shaped his artistic sensibility. Though seemingly a simple genre scene, it is imbued with the complexities of rural life and class distinctions. Peasants are drinking and enjoying themselves, while in the foreground a woman nurses a child, a quiet commentary on the roles of women and the cycle of life. The idyllic portrayal of rural life can be seen as both a celebration of and an escape from the grim realities of war. Hollar, who spent much of his career working in England, frequently depicted scenes of everyday life. Through his skilled draftsmanship, we’re transported back to a world where labor and leisure intertwine, revealing the social fabric of 17th-century Europe. The emotional resonance of this piece lies in its subtle blending of tranquility and underlying social commentary.