February, from "Twelve Months" 1603 - 1623

Jan van de Velde II created this print, “February,” as part of his series "The Twelve Months". Here, the starkness of winter is softened by the lively figures enjoying a frozen waterway, a scene teeming with symbols of transience and fleeting joy. Notice the bare trees and icy expanse, juxtaposed with the animated skaters and boats; symbols that echo the ancient Roman festival of purification, Februa, from which the month derives its name. This act of cleansing and renewal, mirrors the transition from winter's dormancy to the promise of spring. The act of traversing ice, is an age-old allegory for navigating life's precarious journey. In medieval morality plays, the frozen pond often symbolized the treacherous path of human existence, where a single misstep could lead to a fall. Yet here, there's also the joy of communal activity. It's as if Van de Velde acknowledges both the peril and the pleasure of our fleeting existence, inviting us to embrace the moment, even as we recognize its inherent fragility.