Conca represents the different character of the four seasons through one of the most favored artistic motifs of the 18th century, the "putto" (embodying the spirit of a little child). The playful, tender, and fleshy figures convey a light mood. As allegorical personifications here, they act out seasons through typical activities. Seated at the fire of a brazier, Winter wraps himself up against the cold (Walters 37.1791); Spring holds a wreath of flowers; Summer shades his head with a leaf against the heat while cooling his foot in a stream (Walters 37.1744); and Autumn, like a little Bacchus (the ancient god of wine), holds grapes, representing the harvest (Walters 37.1792). The charming series was surely intended to decorate a small room, perhaps a dressing room.
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Sebastiano_Conca" class="extiw" title="w:en:Sebastiano Conca"><span title="Italian painter (1680-1764)">Sebastiano Conca</span></a>
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circa 1720 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1720-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902</div> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Baroque" class="extiw" title="w:en:Baroque"><span title="cultural movement, starting around 1600">Baroque</span></a><div style="display: none;">era QS:P2348,Q37853</div>)
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