Who painted Summer (Ceres)?

Summer (Ceres) was painted by Michelangelo Cerquozzi in 1641.

Where can I see Summer (Ceres)?

Summer (Ceres) is held by Ashmolean Museum.

Artwork

Summer (Ceres)

Summer (Ceres) is an oil painting by Michelangelo Cerquozzi. It dates from 1641 and is held in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum.

About this work

Overview

This 1641 oil painting, titled Summer (Ceres), is a work by Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Cerquozzi, characterized by its small scale and blend of mythological and genre elements.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a scene interpreting the season of Summer through mythological allusion, featuring a seated woman (likely Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture) with a sickle and wheat, crowned by a figure above, set amidst a rural backdrop with laborers.

Technique & Style

Cerquozzi's style, influenced by Flemish and Dutch Bamboccianti, is evident in the everyday life details and outdoor setting, though the mythological elements and composition reflect broader Baroque tendencies.

History & Provenance

Created around 1641, Summer (Ceres) is part of Cerquozzi's oeuvre of small-scale paintings. It is currently housed in the Ashmolean Museum.

Context

The work reflects 17th-century Roman artistic trends, blending sacred/mythological themes with the mundane, characteristic of the Bamboccianti's focus on everyday Roman and rural life.

Legacy

As part of Cerquozzi's body of work, Summer (Ceres) contributes to the understanding of Baroque painting's versatility and the influence of Northern European artistic movements on Italian artists.

Bacchus and Ariadne, Pieter van der Werff

Artist & collection

Artist

Michelangelo Cerquozzi

Michelangelo Cerquozzi, known as Michelangelo delle Battaglie (18 February 1602 – 6 April 1660) was an Italian Baroque painter known for his genre scenes, battle pictures, small religious and mythological works and still lifes.

Museum

Ashmolean Museum

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