Artwork Page for Winter

Details / Information for Winter

Series Title: The Seasons

Winter

1643–44

Wenceslaus Hollar

(Bohemian, 1607–1677)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
Bohemia
Medium
etching
Credit Line
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Williams Collection 1959.317.4
Catalogue raisonné
Parthey 609
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

Increments of time, such as the seasons, were one of the most popular subjects for printed sets. Wenceslaus Hollar alone made six different versions. Hollar was a professional printmaker with over 3,000 prints to his credit. Born in Bohemia, he worked in Germany, London, and Antwerp. He came to London in 1636 while in the employ of the Earl of Arundel, an important collector that Hollar met in Germany. Apparently free to pursue independent projects, Hollar designed and etched this series around 1643–44. Here, each season is personified by elegantly clad ladies, appropriately dressed for their particular climate, with recognizable landmarks in and around London in the backgrounds. The inscriptions, in an older version of English, are slightly suggestive, in keeping with the lighthearted character of the imagery. The building on the extreme right is the Tun. It was built in 1283 and served as a lockup for drunks and other public offenders. The inscription reads: "The cold, not cruelty makes her wear / In Winter, furs and Wild beasts hair / For a smoother skin at night, / Embrace her with more delight."
A vertically oriented etching in black ink depicts a woman with light skin tone standing before a cityscape. Facing our right, she wears a black eye mask, a hooded fur-trimmed coat, and a voluminous skirt. A large muff covers her hands. Behind her, buildings with smoking chimneys and tiny figures line a street. Dense cross-hatching shades her garments. Cursive text at the bottom begins, "The cold, not cruelty makes her weare Winter."

Winter

1643–44

Wenceslaus Hollar

(Bohemian, 1607–1677)
Bohemia

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