Oktober 1545 - 1608

Pieter van der Borcht the Elder created "Oktober" – an engraving – around the late 16th century. It's a scene teeming with the labor of the wine harvest, a vital industry in the Low Countries. Look closely and you will notice that class distinctions are apparent even in this idealized image of rural life. Wealthier individuals stand upright while overseeing the strenuous work. Their bodies are not exhausted like those who physically haul the barrels and tread the grapes. Gender roles are also on display; women are actively involved in the harvest, yet their specific tasks and positions hint at a gendered division of labor. The zodiac sign of Scorpio floats above, a symbolic marker of time, but also a subtle reminder of the celestial forces believed to govern human lives. "Oktober" is more than just an image of a successful harvest; it is a mirror reflecting the social hierarchies and economic realities of its time.