Vertumnus and Pomona

Now in the Rijksmuseum and painted in 1613, Vertumnus and Pomona illustrates one of Ovid's most charming late Metamorphoses tales: the god of seasons disguises himself as an old woman to gain the confidence of Pomona, the orchard goddess, before revealing his true identity and declaring his love. The story offered Goltzius the opportunity to explore multiple registers of disguise, desire, and the turning of seasons — all themes consonant with Mannerist interest in transformation and artifice. By 1613 Goltzius's painting practice had matured considerably from his cautious early canvases, and he handled the complex multi-figure arrangement with confidence. Pomona's orchard setting and the rustic disguise of Vertumnus allowed for a relaxed, pastoral mood that contrasts with the more heroic register of his martial or divine subjects.

Canvas support allows the relatively broad handling appropriate to a pastoral mythological scene. Goltzius differentiates Vertumnus's old-woman disguise — with its aged, weathered skin — from Pomona's youthful flesh, demonstrating his range of representational registers within a single composition. Warm orchard greens and ochres create a seasonal atmosphere of late summer abundance.