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Pomona Surprised by Vertumnus and Other Suitors, from The Story of Vertumnus and Pomona

A work made of wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave.

Date:

1535/40

Artist:

After a design by an unidentified Flemish artist
Flanders, Brussels

About this artwork

The young woman kneeling in the foreground, holding a branch with leaves and flowers, is Pomona, the Roman nymph of apples and orchards. The young man shown in profile to her immediate right is Vertumnus, the Proteus-like god who symbolized the passing of the seasons. The tapestry is part of a Story of Vertumnus and Pomona suite that is based on the mythological tale Ovid described in the Metamorphoses. According to the story, Vertumnus was in love with the beautiful Pomona, who was devoted to gardening and uninterested in courtship. He tried to woo her, at first in vain, but eventually won her heart. The tapestry is the first scene of five and depicts Pomona’s disinterest in all the various suitors shown. The series to which this piece belongs is the earliest surviving narrative ensemble illustrating the entirety of Ovid’s tale.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Artist

Bernard van Orley

Title

Pomona Surprised by Vertumnus and Other Suitors, from The Story of Vertumnus and Pomona

Place

Brussels (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1535–1540

Medium

Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave

Dimensions

493.9 × 430.3 cm (194 1/2 × 169 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Charles H. Worcester

Reference Number

1940.86

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/58661/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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