Artwork
Vertumnus and Pomona
Vertumnus and Pomona is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Tengnagel. It dates from 1617 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Jan Tengnagel’s 1617 copper painting, *VertVertumnus and Pomona*, presents a garden scene drawn from Roman mythology. The work belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s early‑seventeenth‑century Dutch approach to narrative painting.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features the goddess Pomona, identifiable by her bright red and white attire and a basket of fruit, engaged in conversation with Vertumnus, who appears in rustic garments and a wide‑brimmed hat. The myth recounts Vertumnus’s disguise as a gardener to win Pomona’s affection, a theme reflected in the domestic tools and the half‑eaten loaf at their feet.
Technique & Style
Executed on copper, the painting benefits from the metal’s smooth surface, allowing Tengnagel to render fine details and a luminous finish. Light falls across the figures and fruit, creating a subtle chiaroscuro that models faces and objects, while the background foliage and distant architecture are rendered with softer, atmospheric tones.
History & Provenance
Tengnagel, primarily known for biblical subjects, worked within an Amsterdam circle of history painters influenced by Pieter Lastman. Although only a limited number of his works survive, *Vertumnus and Pomona* has remained in Dutch public collections, eventually entering the Rijksmuseum’s holdings where it is displayed today.
Context
The painting reflects the early 1600s Dutch interest in classical antiquity and moralizing narratives, aligning with contemporary humanist tastes. Its garden setting, inclusion of everyday objects, and emphasis on naturalistic detail illustrate the period’s shift toward integrating mythological stories with recognizable, domestic environments.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Tengnagel (baptised 9 September 1584– buried 23 March 1635) was a Dutch draughtsman and painter.
