Zomer 1566

Pieter van der Heyden created this print, entitled 'Zomer' or 'Summer', in the mid-16th century. It’s a detailed engraving on paper that allegorically represents the summer season, a celebration of nature’s abundance. Notice the central figure of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, seated with a child. During this period, there was a renewed interest in classical mythology, as artists like van der Heyden sought to incorporate classical themes into their work. These depictions often reflected contemporary values and social structures, and the use of nude figures to represent abundance and fertility was commonplace. Yet the celebration of summer also carries undertones of labor and the class divisions inherent in agricultural societies. While the print celebrates the harvest, it is divorced from the realities of peasant life and toil. As you consider this image, reflect on how idealized depictions of nature can both inspire and obscure the complexities of the human relationship to the land.