January 4 - 1788

"January," a hand-colored aquatint by William Nelson Gardiner, depicts a scene of winter leisure in 18th-century England. The oval composition, framed by a pale border, captures a group of elegantly dressed figures on a frozen pond. A man struggles to remove his skates, while others watch. Two women stand in the foreground, their elaborate fur-trimmed coats and feathered hats highlighting the fashion of the era. The scene suggests a lighthearted, yet genteel, winter day, characteristic of the romantic period. This print is an example of Gardiner's talent for depicting social scenes, capturing a moment of everyday life with meticulous detail.