The Four Seasons
1784
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1784
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This set of four small prints shows each season as a woman. In spring, she holds flowers. Summer carries a sickle. Autumn cradles grapes. Winter hugs a bare branch. The prints mix etching and aquatint. That means the artist used acid to bite images into a metal plate, then brushed on color by hand. Only a few copies survive. Look for Briceau, Alexandre when you visit the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
