The Seasons: Autumn

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 setting is Albury in Surrey, a much loved retreat of the Earl of Arundel. The inscription reads: "As Autumn fruit does mourn and waste / And if not plucked it drops at last / So of herself (she fears) she shall / If not timely gathered fall."