Artwork Page for Summer

Details / Information for Summer

Summer

c. 1720–1736
This object has related works. See

Jean-Baptiste Pater

(French, 1695–1736)
Culture
France, 18th century
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
Framed: 76.5 x 66 x 9 cm (30 1/8 x 26 x 3 9/16 in.); Unframed: 65.3 x 53.5 cm (25 11/16 x 21 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Harry D. Kendrick 1952.540
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Spring and Summer are two scenes from a series of the four seasons. Both Autumn and Winter are now in the Museu d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona. These landscapes were originally a part of a screen or a decorative panel, as indicated by their floral borders and oval shape. The setting of Spring is believed to be the grounds of Montmorency, the country estate of Pierre Crozat (1665-1740), a wealthy financier and art collector in early eighteenth-century Paris. The walkway is very similar to other scenes by Watteau known to depict the estate of his close friend and patron Crozat. As a student of Watteau, Pater would have also been familiar with this setting. Summer counters Spring's aristocratic leisure by depicting rural labor. However, befitting the work's decorative origins, Pater's scene belongs to the tradition of the timeless pastoral. More idyllic than a statement about class differences, the reapers peacefully gather sheaves of wheat as shepherds rest with their flocks in the foreground.
A vertically oriented, oval oil painting with loose brushstrokes depicts a hazy landscape in muted tones. In the lower left, two figures rest beneath a leafy tree beside a sleeping dog and sheep. In contrast, figures on the right work in a pale yellow field. A stone tower rises from a distant village on the horizon, set against a pale sky of blue and gold.

Summer

c. 1720–1736

Jean-Baptiste Pater

(French, 1695–1736)
France, 18th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork