Art Institute of Chicago

Winter

Wenceslaus Hollar

Date

1641

Medium

Etching on ivory laid paper

Culture

Bohemia

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Wenceslaus Hollar was born in Bohemia and, at the height of his career, enjoyed the patronage of the Earl of Arundel. He is famous for his lifelike rendering of fur and his panoramic views of London. His steady, complex etched lines create the illusion of natural light on a gown or over a cityscape. The fashionably clad women in this series represent the four seasons. Each caption advises the viewer to protect her beauty against the climate. Winter , for example, depicts two fur muffs and a mask to shield the lady’s face from icy winds.

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.