Cleveland Museum of Art

Figure of Autumn from the Four Seasons

Bristol Porcelain Factory

Date

c. 1775

Medium

hard-paste porcelain

Culture

England, Bristol

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The modern notion of childhood as a time of innocence and simplicity emerged during the second half of the eighteenth century. This understanding of adolescence led to numerous depictions of children as personifications of the four seasons. Here autumn is portrayed as a young girl playfully jostling her overskirt as she balances a basket of fruit against her hip. The grapes, plums, and apples filling her basket allude to a plentiful fall harvest. Allegorical figures most often decorated a table during the dessert course, providing amusing subjects for conversation.

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