Who painted Vertumnus and Pomona?

Vertumnus and Pomona was painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1636-01-01.

Where can I see Vertumnus and Pomona?

Vertumnus and Pomona is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is Vertumnus and Pomona?

Vertumnus and Pomona is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Can I buy a print of Vertumnus and Pomona?

Museum-quality prints of Vertumnus and Pomona are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Vertumnus and Pomona

Peter Paul Rubens , 1636

Vertumnus and Pomona is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1636 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Technique & Style

The composition favors close-up intimacy, with figures pressed toward the picture plane and dense, sculptural modeling that emphasizes volumetric form.

Executed in oil paint on a poplar panel, the work measures 26.5 cm in height and 38.3 cm in width. Rubens employs a fluid handling typical of his mature style, layering translucent glazes over a warm imprimatura to build luminous flesh tones and jewel-like color effects. The composition favors close-up intimacy, with figures pressed toward the picture plane and dense, sculptural modeling that emphasizes volumetric form.

Brushwork remains controlled yet lively, with delicate highlights applied to lips and drapery that catch the light. The condition appears stable, with no major abrasions or significant losses reported in technical records.

The overall effect is one of opulent sensuality and dynamic balance, aligning with High Baroque ideals of movement and tactile presence.

History & Provenance

Vertumnus and Pomona is an oil-on-panel painting by Peter Paul Rubens dated to 1636. The work entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently held, and depicts the mythological subject of Vertumnus and Pomona. The sources do not document a specific commissioner, prior owners, or earlier provenance history beyond its present location at the Prado.

The painting is held in the permanent collection of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, where it carries the inventory number P001630.

It has been exhibited in major Rubens surveys, including “Rubens: Painter of Sketches” held at the Museo del Prado in 2023, where the work was shown as part of the museum’s holdings.

Legacy

The painting has remained in the collection of the Museo del Prado since its creation, where it is displayed as a key example of Rubens' mythological output and continues to inform scholarly studies of Baroque narrative techniques. Its composition and treatment of the figures have been cited in later artistic discourse as influential on the depiction of personified seasons and garden allegories in European art, though the work is not recorded as having directly inspired a named school of artists.

Overview

Created in 1636, this oil painting by Peter Paul Rubens belongs to the Flemish Baroque period. It portrays the Roman deities Vertvertum, god of the seasons, and Pomona, goddess of fruit trees, within a verdant landscape. The work is part of the Museo del Prado’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents Pomona seated on a rock in a white, flowing dress, while Vertumnus stands nearby in a red robe, extending his hand toward her. Their interaction suggests a moment of gentle courtship, echoing the myth in which the shape‑changing god woos the orchard goddess.