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Lot Essay
The present picture is a late work by the artist, and like the series of scenes from the Life of Adam (K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel the Younger, 1984, nos118-125, figs. 19-24) is to be dated to circa 1650. Another version is in a private collection, Germany (K. Ertz, op. cit., pp.395-397, no235, with ill.). Brueghel here develops his lifelong interest in allegories of the four seasons and the elements. The influence of the Sun in conjunction with the sign of the Zodiac Leo (23 July-22 August) on human life is depicted: Sol drives his chariot through the sky, assisted by Leo upper left; flowers flourish in the left, vines carry ripe grapes, putti hammer precious metals at the anvil, their products are displayed on shelves on the right; smiths in the middle background are at work; in the background in the distance bishops hold a meeting and bless a community. The figure holding a lamp in the centre are probably ore-miners. Brueghel, by taking up this subject matter, revitalised an old theme, known through late fifteenth century renderings by the Hausbuchmeister in a codex of circa 1480 in the Waldberg-Wolfeggsches Kupferstichkabinett, Schloss Wolfegg (S. de Mailly Nesle, Die Astrologie, etc., 1987, p.115, fig. 112) later in the engraving by Herman Jansz. Muller, after Maerten van Heemskerck. (I. Veldman, Leerrijke Reeksen, exh. cat., Haarlem, 1986, p.77/8, with ill.).
We are grateful to G. Krebber of the RKD for identifying the subject.
We are grateful to G. Krebber of the RKD for identifying the subject.