September c. 16th century

Curator: This is Aegidius Sadeler II's "September," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, rendered as a plate measuring about 20 by 28 centimeters. The medium emphasizes its linear qualities, doesn't it? Editor: Indeed. My first impression is of immense labor, of figures bent under the weight of harvest, a palpable sense of toil conveyed through the lines alone. Curator: Note the delicate hatching technique Sadeler employs to create depth and shadow, focusing the eye on the central figures while diminishing the background. Editor: Precisely. The composition subtly directs us to consider the materiality of the harvest itself, the baskets overflowing, the literal fruits of labor laid bare. Curator: The rendering of the foliage overhead and the constellation of Libra suggests a connection between earthly labor and the celestial order. Editor: I see a portrait of agrarian society. It is clear that Sadeler encourages us to consider the socioeconomic context of this image. Curator: A masterful blend of technique and allegory. Editor: A valuable lens through which to view labor and societal structures of the time.