Autumn

Art Historical Context

This engraving titled *Autumn*, created between 1620 and 1670 by Grégoire Huret and publisher Pierre Mariette, captures the spirit of the season through its depiction of a woman surrounded by grapes. As a print medium, engraving allowed intricate details and tonal contrasts to be reproduced affordably, making allegorical imagery widely accessible to collectors and the public during the Baroque era in France. The work forms part of a likely series personifying the four seasons, a popular theme in 17th-century European art that celebrated nature’s cycles and abundance. Huret’s precise line work brings vitality to the figure and still-life elements, reflecting the period’s interest in both classical symbolism and naturalistic observation. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Drawings and Prints collection through the Elisha Whittelsey Fund, this sheet offers visitors a glimpse into how prints served as both artistic treasures and vehicles for cultural ideas about time and renewal.

About the Artist

Grégoire Huret|Pierre Mariette · 1606–1670

French draftsman and printmaker. Comment on works: Engraver & draftsman