Jan Saenredam (Artist), Abraham Bloemaert (After)

Vertumnus and Pomona

Vertumnus and Pomona by Jan Saenredam, Abraham Bloemaert

Artwork Detail

The story of Pomona and Vertumnus (or Vertomnus) is described in Ovid's Metamorphoses 14:623-697 and 765-771). So complete was the goddess Pomona's devotion to her orchards and gardens that she spurned the many suitors who courted her. Vertumnus, the god of changing seasons, fell in love with her, and to be nearer to her, disguised himself as a labourer in her garden. When this failed to attract her attention, he disguised himself as an old woman, and told her about a parable of marriage in which the grape vine and the elm tree had a relationship of interdependency (both are seen in the background). Only when he revealed himself as a young and beautiful god did Pomona fall in love with him and agree to share her gardens with him in marriage. In Sanraedam's engraving she is shown holding a pruning knife, the abundant produce from her garden laid out before her.

Title
Vertumnus and Pomona
Artist/creator
Jan Saenredam, Abraham Bloemaert
Production date
1605
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
453 x 370 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/38
Copyright
No known copyright restrictions
Department
International Art
Display status
Not on display

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