Summer 1740

jacobdewit

toned paper

muted colour palette

sculpture

charcoal drawing

sculptural image

charcoal art

unrealistic statue

underpainting

charcoal

statue

"Summer," a 1740 relief by Dutch artist Jacob de Wit, features three cherubs amidst a bountiful harvest. The central cherub, seated amongst corn cobs and other fruits, reaches for a stalk of corn. Another cherub leans over, holding a sickle, while the third stands above them in the background. De Wit's delicate and detailed style, characteristic of the Rococo era, is evident in the cherubs' soft features and the meticulously rendered textures of the fruits and grains. This work exemplifies the Rococo interest in youthfulness, abundance, and the beauty of nature.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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The provenance of this overdoor is the same as that of Autumn and Winter, also on view in this gallery. Unfortunately, Spring has not come down to us, but it was probably round, like Winter. As in the other overdoors, three putti play with various attributes. The scythe, the cornstalks and the harvested fruit allude to summer.