A detailed eighteenth-century Rococo engraving by Jakob Wangner, depicting the allegory of midday through fluid ornamentation and symbolic imagery.

This engraving, titled Middag (Meridies), is a characteristic example of mid-eighteenth-century German Rococo printmaking. Jakob Wangner, an engraver based in Augsburg, produced this work as part of a series depicting the times of day. The composition employs the asymmetrical, fluid forms typical of the Rococo style, featuring C-scrolls, S-scrolls, and shell-like motifs that frame the central allegorical scene.

At the top of the print, a personified sun with a human face radiates light, symbolising the zenith of the day. Below this celestial figure, the ornamental framework encloses a small scene depicting figures engaged in a midday meal, reflecting the title. The text at the base provides both German and Latin inscriptions, which comment on the necessity of food and rest during the midday hour. The surrounding foliage and architectural elements are rendered with precise line work, demonstrating the technical skill required for copperplate engraving during this period.

Wangner was known for his contributions to the decorative arts, often collaborating with publishers such as Johann Georg Hertel. This print functions as both a decorative object and a moralising allegory, common in the print culture of the Enlightenment. The balance between the heavy, swirling ornamentation and the small-scale narrative scene creates a sense of movement and visual curiosity. The work remains a clear record of the aesthetic preferences of the Augsburg school, where the fusion of natural elements with artificial, decorative structures reached a high level of refinement.