Herfst (Autumnus) 1589

Jacob Matham created this engraving called "Herfst," or "Autumnus," around the turn of the 17th century. During this time, Northern Europe was experiencing the late Renaissance, a period of artistic flourishing but also religious and political conflict. Here we see a muscular, nude man, crowned with grapes and vine leaves, embodying the season of autumn. Consider the symbolism here – the cornucopia of fruits, the zodiac signs of Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Libra. He represents abundance and harvest, but perhaps also a certain vulnerability, standing naked against a landscape that is both bountiful and rugged. Matham’s image invites us to reflect on our relationship with nature, and the cyclical rhythms of life, death, and rebirth. He is part of a tradition, but also seems to hint at something more personal, a meditation on the beauty and ephemerality of the natural world. How do we find ourselves in such imagery, and how does it speak to our contemporary moment?