December 1705 - 1766

This engraving, simply titled "December," presents a tableau framed by symbols rife with cultural resonance. At its apex, the ram's head nods to Capricorn, the zodiac sign presiding over this winter month, evoking the season's themes of determination and endurance. But observe how the image also captures a deeper human drama. The figure trudging across the icy landscape—a wanderer weighed down by a bundle—mirrors similar figures found in medieval Books of Hours. The association with burdened travelers can be traced all the way to the ancient Greek depictions of Atlas bearing the weight of the world. This image echoes in our collective memory as we face the darkness and cold of winter. It is more than a mere calendar illustration. It is a window into a shared human experience, one that intertwines the celestial and terrestrial, urging us to acknowledge the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.