Maart 1554 - 1641

Curator: This etching and drawing, rendered in ink, offers us a fascinating glimpse into the month of March. Editor: It’s incredibly detailed. It almost feels like a snapshot, yet also deeply symbolic. There’s such intense labor represented, you can feel the effort! Curator: Indeed! Although the maker remains unknown, “Maart”, dating from 1554-1641, encapsulates daily life. Given its origins, situating this image within narratives of class is imperative: observing the various tasks, one understands how labor was perceived in 16th-century society. Editor: Precisely. The rendering technique of drawing feels important here— the line work. Look at how that activity contributes a tactile element to understanding materials. The houses being erected, the livestock herded—construction and sustenance are right in front. How does the social structure mediate the raw need for housing, resources and, importantly, distribution? Curator: Absolutely. Consider how landscapes and history painting intermingle, telling visual stories, with a European viewpoint as well, of how labour relations played out then. Editor: We cannot neglect where they occur geographically in conjunction with other communities nearby for trading relations in terms resources to consider larger political, economic impacts tied here from its context within Rijksmuseum collection today makes perfect conversation material from these vantage viewpoints. Curator: Considering it is a landscape the representation of social order should be addressed as well such themes as community organization. These drawings, etchings remind us how to interpret medieval print, the construction of history then and today. Editor: Reflecting today through lenses, such material reminds each viewer how labor sustains everyone by illustrating processes, challenges to ensure progress while questioning accessibility even fairness!