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The Seasons:  Summer, by Wenceslaus Hollar, 1644

The Seasons: Summer

Wenceslaus Hollar

1644

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Overview

The Seasons: Summer is a 1644 by Wenceslaus Hollar, a Baroque work, depicting Bohemia, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?
Wenceslaus Hollar
When & what style?
1644 · Baroque
Where can I see it?
Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a woman and a man in a garden, surrounded by trees and flowers. The woman is holding a flower, and the man is holding a hat. This painting is one of a series of four, each showing a different season. The artist made many versions of these season paintings. You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Wenceslaus Hollar (Bohemian, 1607–1677)

The story of this work

Overview

Increments of time, such as the seasons, were one of the most popular subjects for printed sets. Wenceslaus Hollar alone made six different versions. Hollar was a professional printmaker with over 3,000 prints to his credit. Born in Bohemia, he worked in Germany, London, and Antwerp. He came to London in 1636 while in the employ of the Earl of Arundel, an important collector that Hollar met in Germany. Apparently free to pursue independent projects, Hollar designed and etched this series around 1643–44. Here, each season is personified by elegantly clad ladies, appropriately dressed for their…

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Portrait of Wenceslaus Hollar
Artist

Wenceslaus Hollar

Wenceslaus Hollar (Czech: Václav Hollar (Czech pronunciation: ), German: Wenzel Hollar; 23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a Czech engraver, etcher and painter.

See the richer artist page

More by Wenceslaus Hollar

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