Zomer 1675

This print called 'Zomer' or 'Summer' was etched by Gerard de Lairesse in the Netherlands, sometime between 1641 and 1711. It is an allegory representing the season, an artistic trope that goes back to antiquity. Here we see classical figures lounging on clouds; one holds a torch, another has a wreath. It's worth noting that the images and symbols used by artists at this time were not neutral, but actively shaped by the patronage and institutions of the day. The Dutch Republic, in its Golden Age, drew on the imagery of Greece and Rome to legitimize itself as a new kind of state; a mercantile republic rather than a monarchy. To understand this print further, we can consult emblem books, classical literature, and records of the art market in the Netherlands at the time. These sources would give us a better picture of the meanings that were circulating. Art is never made in a vacuum. It is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.