Homage to Pomona 1616

Jacob Jordaens created this oil on canvas, Homage to Pomona, sometime in the 17th century. It depicts a scene of revelry and abundance, celebrating the Roman goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. Made in Flanders, the painting reflects the region's prosperity and its close ties to agriculture. The robust figures are indicative of the culture's appreciation for earthly pleasures and the abundance of nature. The classical subject matter reflects the influence of the Italian Renaissance, yet the earthy realism is distinctively Flemish. Jordaens worked in the shadow of Rubens, and here we see a similar exuberance, albeit with a more bourgeois sensibility. What does it tell us about the culture and social structures of its time? Was it made for a private patron, or a public institution? These are the kind of questions art historians ask when we try to reconstruct the social conditions that shape artistic production and meaning. We need to look at all the evidence: the artist's biography, the patronage system, and the cultural values of the time.