Vertumnus and Pomona, by Mieris (1725)

Vertumnus and Pomona, by Mieris (1725)

Mieris, Willem van (1662-1747)

1725

The image shows two women in an outdoor scene, Vertumnus and Pomona. The young woman (Pomona) is shown with one of her breasts uncovered and picking fruit as she looks at the old woman. The old woman, in this painting representing Vertumnus, is represented with her head covered and a club while she looks at the young woman and points to the fruit. Although the painting does not represent a procuress per se, the costume that Vertumnus wears to seduce Pomona is reminiscent of the image of the procuress in the celestinesque tradition and the story comes from Ovid's metamorphoses.

Found on Christie's webpage:
https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/old-master-paintings-sculpture/willem-van-mieris-leiden-1662-1747-4/87260

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210718084346/https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/old-master-paintings-sculpture/willem-van-mieris-leiden-1662-1747-4/87260

Wikimedia Commons:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vertumnus_and_Pomona_by_Willem_van_Mieris,_1725.jpg

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220201230453/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vertumnus_and_Pomona_by_Willem_van_Mieris,_1725.jpg

Oil on panel.
Dimensions: 25.4 × 21.6 cm