Autumn, Market Scene in the Heart of a Village
by VRANCX, Sebastian, Oil on panel, 51 x 66 cm
Vrancx was known for his battle scenes and landscapes, but among his most popular subjects were his allegories of the Months and Seasons. This genre ultimately derived from manuscript illustrations. In the present representation of autumn, the painter sets the scene in a village, the main street lined with houses, some shops and two churches. The foreground is dominated by townspeople buying and selling apples and finches and, to the right, a man bringing grapes to be pressed for wine - all autumnal activities.