Wenceslaus HollarCzech, English, 1607–1677The Seasons: Spring
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Not on view at present
Where is “The Seasons: Spring” now? Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Cleveland, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
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 inscription reads: "Welcome sweet Lady you do bring / Rich presents of a hopeful Spring / That makes the Earth to look so green / As when she first began to teem."
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 1959.317.1
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — Museum open access
In the life of Wenceslaus Hollar
The whole life4 July 1641
Marries a lady-in-waiting to the Countess of Norfolk
On 4 July 1641 he marries Tracy, a lady-in-waiting to the Countess of Norfolk; they have two children.
1643–1644
Endures the siege of Basing House with fellow royalist artists
With other royalist artists, notably Inigo Jones and the engraver William Faithorne, he stands the long siege of Basing House; some hundred plates by his hand are dated 1643 and 1644. The Civil War, despite his productivity, adversely affected his income.
1645
Captured by parliamentary forces, he escapes
Hollar joins the Royalist Regiment and is captured by parliamentary forces in 1645 during the siege of Basing House; after a short time he manages to escape.
1646
After Arundel’s death he works for authors and publishers
After the earl’s death in Padua in 1646, Hollar earns his living by working for various authors and publishers, which becomes his primary means of distribution.
1646
Meets Arundel again in Antwerp
In Antwerp in 1646 Hollar again meets the Earl of Arundel, in whose household he had lived for many years.
1646–1652
Works in Antwerp during the Civil Wars
During the unrest of the Civil Wars he works in Antwerp, where he produces many of his most renowned works: Dutch cityscapes, seascapes, depictions of nature, his “muffs” and “shells”.
![Bride, from "Dance of Death", Wenceslaus Hollar, [1651] late 18th century printing](https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/dp/web-large/DP822840.jpg)
