Image source: artvee.com
Introduction
Hans Thoma’s Allegory of September presents a masterful union of classical personification, seasonal observation, and symbolic precision. Rendered in pen, ink, and wash on warm-toned paper, the drawing invites viewers into a world where mythic figures and everyday labor converge in a celebration of the early autumn harvest. Central to the composition is a serene, nude female figure seated upon a swirling cloud, her arms raised as she displays two ripe apples. Below her, villagers gather fruit in an orchard, while ornate side panels record saints’ feast days and astrological symbols under the watchful sign of Libra. This allegory captures September’s dual character: the abundance of ripening crops and the subtle promise of approaching coolness.
Historical Context
Created in the late nineteenth century, Allegory of September reflects Germany’s historicist revival and the period’s fascination with medieval manuscripts and emblem books. As industrialization accelerated urban life, artists like Thoma turned to symbolic imagery and calendrical motifs to reconnect audiences with agrarian rhythms and cultural heritage. The widespread popularity of illustrated almanacs and wall calendars provided a context for artworks that combined practical information—feast days, astronomical data—with poetic celebration. Thoma’s series of monthly allegories emerged as both decorative art and educational tool, resonating with a public eager to preserve seasonal traditions amid rapid social change.
Artist Background
Born in 1839 in Bernau, Hans Thoma trained under the Nazarene painter Philip Veit before traveling through Italy and the Netherlands to study Renaissance and early German masters. His work seamlessly blends Romantic naturalism, folklore, and symbolic depth. By the 1880s, Thoma had achieved acclaim for landscapes and allegories that evoke both idealized nature and the spiritual resonance of folk traditions. Allegory of September exemplifies his mature style: meticulous draftsmanship, a warm tonal palette even in monochrome, and the integration of text and image. Thoma’s legacy lives on in the Jugendstil and Symbolist movements, where his decorative yet thoughtful compositions inspired graphic designers and illustrators alike.
Visual Description
The focal point of the drawing is the seated goddess figure, draped from the waist in diaphanous folds that billow into a stylized cloud platform. Her long hair falls freely, and a faint wreath or ribbon adorns her brow. She holds an apple in each hand, raising them in a gesture that is both offering and display. Below, two harvesters on ladders pick fruit from laden trees, while another carries a basket brimming with apples. In the distance, a small village and a winding river ground the scene in a recognizable landscape. The entire tableau is framed by vertical registers: the left lists September’s saints’ feast days in elegant script, the right showcases planetary glyphs and zodiac signs with brief German captions.
Composition and Spatial Structure
Thoma employs a clear architectural framework reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts. The central square holds the figure and orchard scene, flanked by two pilaster-like columns of information. Above, a semi-circular arch—hatched and radiating—culminates in the emblem of Libra, anchoring the composition in astrological tradition. The goddess’s cloud platform bridges the borders, dissolving the boundary between symbolic register and pictorial narrative. This structure guides the viewer’s eye: first to the raised apples, then down to the laborers, onward to the distant village, and finally along the side panels. The interplay of horizontal landscape and vertical text fields creates a harmonious rhythm that mirrors September’s balance of light and shadow.
Color Palette and Tonal Modulation
Although monochrome, Allegory of September achieves a rich tonal warmth through Thoma’s use of ink wash on cream-colored paper. The ground’s subtle ochre undertone suggests late summer earth, while the darkest pen strokes define the figure’s contours and tree branches. Midtone washes in the cloud and distant horizon create depth, contrasting with the untouched highlights on the apples and the goddess’s skin. Thoma’s layering of fine cross-hatching and broader wash strokes produces a dynamic range of value, evoking the glitter of sunlit leaves and the soft shadows beneath fruit-laden boughs.
Treatment of Light and Shadow
Light in the allegory emerges as both literal and symbolic illumination. An implied light source from the upper arch casts gentle highlights on the raised apples, reinforcing their importance. The goddess’s body is modeled with subtle gradations, while the cloud’s swirling forms catch light in alternating bands of wash and line. In the orchard below, dappled shading suggests morning sun filtering through foliage. Thoma’s deft control of light and shadow imbues the composition with a quiet luminosity, evoking September’s gentle transition from high summer brightness to autumnal glow.
Symbolism and Iconography
Every element in the drawing carries allegorical weight. The apples symbolize ripeness, health, and the culmination of the growing season. The seated goddess personifies September, nurturing the harvest from her lofty cloud perch. The wreath or ribbon in her hair may reference classical motifs of victory and fertility. The orchard workers represent communal labor and gratitude, essential themes in harvest celebrations. Side panels record saints such as Egidius and Theodosius, anchoring the month in the liturgical calendar, while planetary glyphs and the Libra sign speak to humankind’s long-standing quest to align earthly activities with celestial rhythms.
Seasonal Allegory of September
September stands at the threshold between summer’s fullness and autumn’s introspection. Thoma captures this duality: the apples’ vibrant roundness evokes abundance, while the cloud seat and distant horizon hint at rising mists and cooler air. Villagers continue the work of gathering fruit, yet the scene’s elevated viewpoint imparts a sense of contemplation. Through this allegory, viewers sense both the physical toil of the harvest and the ritual of pausing to give thanks. The harmony between figure, farmers, and landscape embodies September’s role as a bridge—honoring summer’s gifts while anticipating nature’s slowing rhythm.
Astrological and Calendrical Integration
Astrology and liturgical time converge in Thoma’s side panels. The arch’s Libra glyph—balanced scales set within radiating lines—symbolizes September’s zodiacal period of equilibrium between day and night. The right-hand column catalogs planetary influences—Venus governing fruitfulness, Mercury guiding communication—as interpreted in contemporary astrological almanacs. On the left, feast days are meticulously listed, reflecting the rural communities’ cycles of worship and festivity. By weaving these systems together, Thoma offers viewers both practical guidance for seasonal activities and a poetic reminder of humanity’s place within cosmic order.
Materiality and Technique
Thoma’s technical mastery shines through in his pen-and-ink execution. His fine lines range from precise hatching in the foliage to confident contours of the goddess’s form. The ink wash, applied with varying dilution, creates atmospheric depth and defines volumetric mass. The paper’s warm ground functions as a midtone, allowing both highlights and shadows to emerge naturally. Absence of erasures or corrections indicates Thoma’s assured draughtsmanship. This work exemplifies the expressive potential of monochrome media, demonstrating how subtle manipulations of line and wash can convey rich narrative and symbolic complexity without the need for color.
Emotional and Psychological Resonance
While Allegory of September is systematic in its allegory, it also evokes an emotional warmth. The goddess’s serene expression, framed by gentle clouds, conveys benevolence and calm authority. The pickers’ gestures—two reaching skyward, another bending to gather fruit—express communal joy and purpose. The rising figures and the goddess’s raised apples suggest offering and reception, a mutual exchange between earth and sky. Through these interactions, Thoma invites viewers to partake in the ritual of gratitude, fostering a reflective mood that balances labor with celebration.
Comparative Analysis
Compared to Thoma’s Allegory of October and Allegory of November, the September drawing emphasizes emergence and offering rather than solemn transformation or elemental forces. Where October’s wreath of vine leaves and grapes evokes full harvest, and November’s water-pouring figures suggest the onset of winter rains, September’s apple-bearing goddess captures the cusp of abundance. In terms of composition, all three share the illuminated manuscript–inspired framework of central scene and flanking registers, yet each adapts the iconography to its month’s unique character, demonstrating Thoma’s versatility within a coherent series.
Interpretive Possibilities
Scholars have read Allegory of September through various lenses. From an ecological perspective, it celebrates the orchard’s biodiversity and communal stewardship. A folkloric reading emphasizes the ritual aspects of harvest festivals and the role of patron saints in agrarian life. Psychoanalytic interpretations may view the goddess as an archetype of the Great Mother, offering nurturance through the fruit of the earth. Meanwhile, art historians note the work’s place in the transition from 19th-century historicism to early modern graphic design, where text and image merged to forge new forms of visual communication.
Reception and Legacy
Upon publication, Thoma’s calendar series found eager audiences in illustrated magazines and domestic calendars, imbuing homes with seasonal art that was both informative and beautiful. Collectors prized original drawings for their artisanal quality and symbolic depth. The works influenced Jugendstil poster designers, who adopted Thoma’s integration of ornamental borders and central imagery. Today, Allegory of September is studied as a precursor to modern infographics, demonstrating how art can seamlessly blend narrative, data, and decoration. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke universal experiences of harvest, ritual, and cosmic alignment.
Conclusion
Allegory of September stands as a testament to Hans Thoma’s genius in fusing poetic allegory with encyclopedic detail. Through meticulous pen-and-ink technique and a carefully structured composition, he transforms the simple act of apple gathering into a ritual of gratitude, myth, and celestial correspondence. The seated goddess, her arms raised in offering, presides over a harmonious interplay of human labor and natural abundance. Flanked by saints’ days and planetary symbols, she reminds us that each moment in the seasonal cycle resonates with cultural, spiritual, and cosmic significance. This allegory invites viewers to pause, reflect, and give thanks for September’s fleeting gifts.