Zomer 1566

"Zomer," a 1566 engraving by Pieter van der Heyden, is a masterful example of Mannerist design. The central scene features a woman representing Summer, accompanied by a child and a boy holding a scythe, amidst a cornucopia of fruit and flora. The composition is framed by intricate, symmetrical ornamentation featuring human figures, grotesque masks, and scrolling vines, typical of Heyden's decorative style. This work is a prime example of how Renaissance artists explored decorative motifs and the human form to create visually stimulating works, and is now housed at the Rijksmuseum.