Summer

In the quiet of the afternoon, sheltered in the shade, Summer serenely offers her fruits. Her hair is red as the blazing sun, like the ripe apples she offers her companion. On her face, a hint of a smile: it will be a peaceful season of contemplation.

The personification of the warm season is in an entirely unusual setting: the naturalistic background closes in an arch that shades the sky; instead of grass, a green drapery recalls the unreality of the composition. Her calm gaze is counterbalanced by the suffocating shadow that covers the sky and blocks out the light.

Are these warm colors of the girl in stark contrast with the cool colors of the fake landscape? Is this calm only a fleeting appearance before the storm?