Chapter IV
Bassano's seasonal menu
Jacopo Bassano's first exploration of the theme of the seasons was on a small scale. They were works of art intended for studioli, the studies of rich art collectors, and as conversation pieces. They seem to have been inspired by Bruegel, whose versions of the Seasons he probably knew from engravings. Like him, Jacopo depicted rural everyday life in gently sloping countryside. Other sources of inspiration were probably the frescoes in Trento and book illustrations.
The rhythm of nature
Like Bruegel, Bassano chose a different light and atmosphere for each season at the associated time of day.
Thus, the great cycle of the seasons is reflected in the course of the day: spring – morning, summer – noon, autumn – afternoon, winter – night.
Spring shows a morning landscape
Summer is illuminated by the midday light of the sun
Autumn shows an afternoon mood
Unlike Bruegel, however, Jacopo also integrated biblical themes into his paintings, linking the seasons with the Christian story of salvation. In this way, humans find their place not only in nature, but also in the religious cosmos.
In Spring, for example, the expulsion from paradise is depicted in the background
In Summer, the sacrifice of Isaac
In Autumn, Moses receives the Tablets of the Law in the background
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Jacopo Bassano, Spring (Expulsion From Paradise), 1570/75. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband
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Jacopo Bassano, Summer (Sacrifice of Isaac), 1570/75. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband
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Jacopo Bassano, Autumn (Moses Receives the Tablets of the Law), 1570/75. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband
The next generation
In the version by Bassano's sons, the paintings of the seasons are finally divorced from their biblical context. Francesco developed the idea of a cycle of seasons and months on large-scale canvases that would do justice to his patron's sense of prestige. He eventually completed these paintings in collaboration with his brother Leandro.
The brothers started adopting new influences from the north. The scenes of everyday life in their paintings are inspired by the market and kitchen scenes of Pieter Aertsen and Joachim Beuckelaer. Francesco and Leandro developed a veritable catalogue of images of human life, which gives their paintings an almost encyclopaedic dimension. Alongside rural activities and market scenes, there are also detailed descriptions of craft workshops. The spinning and weaving mill in July is a good example.
Twelve months for the emperor
The theme of the seasons reaches a monumental climax in the series of the Twelve Months, which were created between 1581 and 1590. The Vienna series is signed by Leandro Bassano and was probably intended for Emperor Rudolf II.
The paintings of the months depict people from all walks of life, from the peasant population to the bourgeoisie and the nobility. The subject of the paintings February and March is the urban environment, where the focus is on Carnival and Lent. The paintings of Bassano's sons also show the whole cosmos of human life embedded in the larger context of the universe. Accordingly, they also received the highest recognition at the imperial court of Rudolf II in Prague and could stand on an equal footing with the Seasons of a Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
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Joachim Beuckelaer, The Cook, 1574. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband
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Leandro Bassano, July (Spinning and Weaving), 1581/87. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband
With their paintings of the seasons and months, Jacopo Bassano and his sons created works that not only reflect the connection between people and nature, but also the spirit of the late Renaissance.
Their pictures combine religious symbolism with everyday scenes and scientific references – a reflection of an era that was characterized equally by tradition and innovation. In their time, the Bassanos were celebrated stars of the art world, and held in high esteem in Venice and at the imperial court. Today, they often stand in the shadow of their famous contemporaries, but their influential work shows the important role they played in art history.