Maart 17th century

This small woodcut, titled ‘Maart’, or March, presents a snapshot of rural life, likely from the Netherlands, given the added ‘Nieuwen stijl’ – New Style – in the title. The image depicts agricultural work, signaling the start of the growing season. Such prints were often part of calendars or books of hours, aligning human activity with the rhythms of the natural world. We see men tending to the land, possibly plowing or sowing seeds. A ram, the zodiac symbol for Aries which falls in March, is pictured in the upper left. The presence of these symbols and depictions were not only practical but also reinforced a worldview where humans were integrated into a larger cosmic order. To fully understand this image, we might look at agricultural manuals, religious texts, and almanacs from the period. The survival of this print reminds us that art is always embedded in social practices, cultural beliefs, and institutional structures.