An Allegory of Relations between the Generations

Pieter van Serwouters excelled in showing the intricacies of familial relationships. In this outdoor scene after David Vinckeboons, he broadens the theme of the garden of love to encompass everyone from babies to the elderly. This sheet encompasses a spectacular range of open-air activities. An old man avidly counts his money; mothers put their babies to bed; children adore their pets; a young couple engage in lute playing; and another pair sneaks out of the walled garden, perhaps to conceive the next generation.