The Seasons, Summer 

Erte created this illustration, ‘The Seasons, Summer,’ using gouache and ink. Dominating the scene, we see an allegorical figure of summer surrounded by putti, classical cherubs who re-emerge here. They are adorned with butterfly wings instead of feathered, echoing motifs of metamorphosis and beauty. The woman’s golden hair flows freely, resembling ripening wheat, emphasizing the fecundity of summer. And she has traded the common sheafs for a pair of luscious peaches. These cupids, with their playful affection, remind us of the Renaissance, but they differ. They feel closer to Psyche or Amorini, echoing earlier forms. Hearts in their hands, they invoke Eros and the universal power of love and desire, a theme as old as civilization itself. This symbol of the heart, universally recognized, carries the weight of centuries. From ancient offerings to modern expressions, its cyclical reappearance and the persistent psychological resonance highlight the power of symbols to connect us through time.