William Hoare of Bath, R.A. (1707 - 1792)

William Hoare of Bath executed several known versions of these subjects, inspired by Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757). Rosalba's Four Seasons were purely decorative; depicting four young women revealing their charms with perfect propriety under the guise of allegory. Hoare's interpretations of the subject on the other hand are a 'distillation of memories of antique sculpture' (E. Newby, William Hoare of Bath R.A. 1707-1792, 1990, p. 46). The figures are variations on the theme of classical Venuses. Summer's pose is an adaptation from the Venus Callypiga in the Farnese Collection and Autumn's hairstyle can be seen in many antique statutes (E. Newby, William Hoare of Bath R.A. 1707-1792, 1990, p. 47). As Hoare repeatedly returned to the subject of the Four Seasons his style changed from rococo to neo-classicism. The hard edges and crisp clarity of the drawings in the present lot place them in the second category.