July c. 16th century

Curator: This is Étienne Delaune's "July," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, and it depicts figures harvesting. Editor: It feels almost feverish, doesn't it? A dizzying little world. Curator: Indeed. Observe the density of the etching, capturing the labor of agricultural production. Editor: And yet, above the toiling figures, there's Leo in the clouds—totally divorced from the scene below, almost mocking it. Curator: Zodiac symbols were common, but here it’s fascinating to see how high and low art are integrated through printmaking. Editor: I like the little cherubs frolicking in the river; they give it all an unreal, dreamy touch. Curator: Printmaking allowed for dissemination of these idealized visions of labor and the seasons, shaping cultural ideals. Editor: It's a little gem—both beautiful and a window into its time. Curator: Absolutely. It demonstrates how material processes can reveal so much about social structures and imagination.