Italian school; late 17th century."Allegory of summer".Oil on canvas. Re-coloured.It presents faults, repainting and restorations.Measurements: 158 x 134 cm.The format of this piece is really singular, revealing that the work was conceived to be adapted to an architectural complex. A space conditioned by humidity, so that instead of resorting to fresco, the commissioner needed a canvas ornamentation to prevent the piece from deteriorating. It should also be noted that the theme, being allegorical, probably belonged to a larger cycle, probably involving the rest of the seasons. With regard to this allegorical theme, the painter of the work uses the female figure throughout as a symbol of fertility. The image is made up of five ladies of different ages who swirl around a group of fruit and ears of corn, representing the moment of harvesting the sowing. It is therefore clear that this is an allegory related to summer.This "Allegory of Summer" has a series of details that clearly place it within the Italian school of the Baroque period, as can be seen in the painter's treatment of the chromatic range. Another noteworthy element is to be found in the choice of subject matter: the fact that the women are depicted half-naked, whose conception can be related to the classical tradition, although not a feature of the choice of main themes, indicates the degree and taste of decorativism in the painting of the period. Allegorical paintings emerged in the Middle Ages with the intention of exalting the qualities and situations of life. This type of portrait was used to exalt the qualities of a particular personage, such as kings, or well-known personalities. In fact, during neoclassicism, this trend came back into vogue. In this particular case, it is not a portrait of a well-known figure, but the painter wanted to reflect the initial concept of the use of allegory in pictorial art.