Pomona and Vertumnus

mythological

Pomona, the classical goddess of fruit, and Vertumnus, the god of transformation, are the main figures in an episode in Ovid's Metamorphoses which is depicted here. Vertumnus enters Pomona's grove in order to convince her of his love. Because she had always run away on previous occasions when he came, he has cunningly dressed as an old woman on this occasion.

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About the Artist

Francesco Melzi

1493 – 1570

Italian painter, pupil, assistant and confidant of Leonardo da Vinci. He worked with Leonardo in Rome, Bologna and he also followed him to France. He was clearly dependent on his master and he was his companion during the last stage of his life. He was also the one who completed Leonardo's treatise on painting after his death. Melzi appears to have shared the master's knowledge, and Leonardo developed his last works together with him. He made him his main heir and left him his workshop together with all his notebooks and drawings.

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