Vertumnus and Pomona in a Garden - Jan Brouwer

A detailed mezzotint depicting the classical myth of Vertumnus and Pomona, capturing the narrative tension between the wood nymph and the disguised god.

This mezzotint depicts the classical myth of Vertumnus and Pomona, a narrative drawn from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The scene captures the moment Vertumnus, the Roman god of seasons and gardens, disguises himself as an elderly woman to gain access to the garden of Pomona, the wood nymph who guards her fruit trees. The print shows Pomona seated in the foreground, her lap filled with harvested fruit, while the disguised god leans in to offer counsel.

Jan Brouwer utilises the mezzotint technique to achieve a soft, tonal quality. This method allows for smooth transitions between light and shadow, which is particularly effective in rendering the textures of the figures' garments and the surrounding foliage. The composition is structured around the interaction between the two figures, with the garden setting providing a backdrop that reinforces the mythological theme. The presence of a large stone urn and a fountain in the distance adds to the classical atmosphere of the scene.

Brouwer's work reflects the interest in classical mythology that persisted throughout the Dutch Golden Age. The print demonstrates a high level of technical skill in the application of the rocker and burnisher, tools essential to the mezzotint process. The contrast between the youthful, serene appearance of Pomona and the weathered, conspiratorial expression of the disguised Vertumnus creates a narrative tension that defines the image. This print is a fine example of the reproductive printmaking traditions that were common in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, where artists sought to translate the painterly qualities of oil works into the medium of engraving.