Vertumnus and Pomona

Jan Tengnagel, 1617

Ovid’s tales about metamorphoses were wildly popular. This painting depicts the story of Vertumnus, god of the seasons, who was madly in love with Pomona, goddess of gardens, who was interested solely in gardening. Disguised as a wise, old woman, Vertumnus praised his own virtues, and won Pomona’s heart with the following metaphor: just as the vine relies on the support of the elm, so everyone requires a mate.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-4699
  • Dimensionssupport: height 21.4 cm x width 29.4 cm, depth 2.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on copper

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Vertumnus and Pomona

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-4699

  • Description

    Vertumnus en Pomona. In een tuin zitten Vertumnus en Pomona met elkaar in gesprek; de oude vrouw spreekt en maakt handgebaren. De jonge vrouw zit luisterend op een kruiwagen met een sikkel in de hand, rechts tuingereedschap (gieter, hark, spade, zeef).

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature and date, lower left, on the stone under Pomona’s foot: ‘Aº. 1617 / J Tengnagel fecit’

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Jan Tengnagel

  • Dating

    1617

  • Search further with

Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on copper

  • Dimensions

    • support: height 21.4 cm x width 29.4 cm
    • depth 2.5 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Gift of D.H. Cevat, Guernsey

  • Acquisition

    • gift 1977
    • gift 2015-08-20
    • interne vervaardiging 1977
    • interne vervaardiging 2015-08-20

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …; ? sale, Willem Smits (†) et al., The Hague (H.J. Doorschoot), 18 May 1785, no. 175, as Lastman (‘Pomona en Vertumnus in een Tuin bezigt, uitvoerig geschildert […]; op koper, hoog 7. breet 91/2 duim [18.3 x 24.8 cm]’);…; sale, E.W. Johnson (†) (Chichester), London (Christie’s), 16 November 1874, no. 506,{The lot number is inscribed on the reverse of the copper plate.} to Atkins;…; collection Daan H. Cevat, St Peter Port, Guernsey, 1967;{Leiden 1968, p. 31, no. 48.} by whom donated to the museum, 1977; on loan to the Museum Het Rembrandthuis, Amsterdam, since 2004

  • Remarks

    Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

    • E. Haverkamp Begemann in: Kunstchronik 22 (1969), p. 282, afb. 2a.
    • E.J. Sluijter, 'Ovidius' Herscheppingen herschapen, over de popularisering van mythologische thematiek in beeld en woord', De zeventiende eeuw nr. 23 (2007), p. 56 + afb. p. 55
    • D.G. Carter, 'A Vertumnus and Pomona by Gerbrandt van den Eeckhout', Bulletin Herron Museum of Art, Indianapolis 53 (1966), p. 42, 44, 45, afb. 5.

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