Vertumnus and Pomona

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Maker


1589-1624

Title

Vertumnus and Pomona

Date of Production

1621-23

Medium

oil on copper

Dimensions

Height: 18.7 cm (copper)
Width: 25.7 cm (copper)

Object Number

P.1978.PG.122

Mode of Acquisition

Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978

Credit

Courtauld Gallery, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Label Text

Here, Vertumnus, the god of gardens, masquerades as an old woman to approach Pomona, the chaste goddess of orchards. Domenico Fetti depicted the moment before Vertumnus throws off his disguise and Pomona falls in love with him. Like that of another small painting in this case, the story is drawn from the Metamorphoses by the ancient Roman poet Ovid, a very popular text in the 17th century.

Provenance

Acquired by the 4th Lord Methuen (1886-1975), Corsham Court; Acquired by Seilern from Dr M and Mrs E Sklarz, London, 1956; Princes Gate Bequest 1978.

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