The Four Elements, Preparatory Study for a Painted Ceiling (Allegory of Time?), ca. 1750 – 1752

Title

The Four Elements, Preparatory Study for a Painted Ceiling (Allegory of Time?)

Painter

• Franz Anton Maulbertsch

Period Produced

• 18th century

School

• Baroque

Object Type

• painting (artwork)

Physical Description

Oil on canvas, lined

Material

• canvas

Technique

• oil

Label at the Time of Manufacture

Unbezeichnet

Institution

• Städel Museum

Departement

• Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

• Städelsches Kunstinstitut

Creditline

Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright

Public Domain

Acquisition

Acquired in 1920

Genre

• mythological representation
• historical narration
• sketch

Main Motif

• Saturn
• Flora (godess)
• Diana
• Bacchus
• Neptune
• Ceres
• woman
• child
• man
• group of people
• animal

Persons Shown

• Saturn
• Flora
• Diana
• Pomona
• Neptune
• Ceres
• Bacchus

Associated Persons and Institutions

• Veritas

Primary

• 91B111 (story of) Saturn (Cronus)
• 96A235 non-aggressive, friendly or neutral activities and relationships of Flora
• 92C35 non-aggressive, friendly or neutral activities and relationships of Diana
• 92L15 non-aggressive, friendly or neutral activities and relationships of Bacchus
• 92H1 (story of) Neptune (Poseidon)
• 92M15 non-aggressive, friendly or neutral activities and relationships of Ceres

Secondary

• 26A clouds

Associative

• 23D42 spring, 'Ver'; 'Primavera' (Ripa)
• 23D43 summer, 'Aestas'; 'Estate' (Ripa)
• 23D44 autumn, fall, 'Autumnus'; 'Autunno' (Ripa)
• 23D41 winter, 'Hyems'; 'Inverno' (Ripa)