Herfst 1592

Antonio Tempesta created this print called ‘Herfst’ sometime between 1570 and 1630, using etching in combination with engraving. Tempesta, an Italian artist working during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, created this print as part of a series depicting the four seasons. Here, we see ‘Herfst’, or Autumn, allegorically represented by Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, pleasure, and fertility, riding a chariot pulled by goats. What does it mean to see the abundance of Autumn visualized through the lens of a male god? How might our understanding of the season shift if it were embodied by a female figure? In that sense, ‘Herfst’ reflects a patriarchal view of nature. The surrounding zodiac symbols and cherubic figures suggest how deeply cultural narratives are interwoven with both natural cycles and the representation of gender. The print invites us to reflect on the stories we tell about our relationship with nature, and how those stories shape our understanding of ourselves.