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Notes
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Water is represented here by a figure who is probably one of the nymphs seduced by Neptune (the god can be seen riding in triumph on the sea in the background). She is surrounded by all the fantastic creatures of the sea on the land and two flying fish hover in the sky. Many versions of sets of allegorical depictions of the four elements came out of the Brueghels' Antwerp studio. The sets were popular in Italy, particularly with their patron Cardinal Federico Borromeo (1564–1631), Archbishop of Milan and founder of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, and his assistant Ercole Bianchi, who enjoyed a set with naked figures. In Spain, Philip IV distributed sets among the ladies of the court. The sets evolved from an individual piece showing all the elements together in a unified scene (each bearing appropriate attributes and including a profusion of botanical and zoological detail) to four separate works.
Title
The Four Elements: Water
Date
c.1620–1622
Medium
oil on copper
Measurements
H 47.5 x W 82.5 cm
Accession number
1257085
Acquisition method
bequeathed by Ralph Bankes, 1981
Work type
Painting
