Vertumnus and Pomona
1776
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1776
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Here’s the fresh draft, right on the word budget: You see Venus dressed as a fruit seller, leaning on a basket. Her face hides behind a mask of apples and grapes. Two doves peck at the fruit at her feet. Janinet made this print with gold leaf borders, a flashy trick back then. Only about twenty survive because gold leaf was illegal for printmakers. Pomona’s story explains why Venus hides—she kept men out of her orchard. Check out the real gold frames next time at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
