by-nc

Spring

Maker

(artist)
1525-1569

(engraver)
ca. 1530-after 1572 (Life dates)

(publisher)
ca.1510-1570 (Life dates)

Title

Spring

Date of Production

1570

Medium

medium : material : ink & support : material : paper

Dimensions

Height: 22.9 cm
Width: 29.1 cm

Accession Number

G.1978.PG.2

Mode of Acquisition

Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords





Label Text

From foreground to background, Bruegel uses spatial recession to reflect the passing of the months. Sowing occurs in March, sheep are sheared in April, and hard work is rewarded in May with music and merriment. At the time of his death, Bruegel had designed only two of four seasons to be engraved by Pieter van der Heyden and published by Hieronymus Cock. In the engraving, van der Heyden skilfully retained both Bruegel’s strong spatial conception and delicacy of handling.

Provenance

Information not yet known or updated

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Bruegel / Not Bruegel, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/01/2016-17/04/2016

Gallery 4 display, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2000 (July)

Inscriptions

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower left within image & recto : : Bruegel - inuet. //

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower right within image & recto : : H. Cock. excud. 1570. //

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower right edge within image & recto : : [monogram] P/AVE //

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower left margin & recto : : Martius, Aprilis, Maius, sunt tempora ueris. //

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower centre margin & recto : : VER / Pueritie compar //

Inscription: inscribed : printed : lower right margin & recto : : Vere Venus gaudet florentibus aurea sertis. //

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