Februari 1586 - 1618

Curator: Look at this incredibly detailed engraving; it's entitled "Februari," made sometime between 1586 and 1618 by Jan (II) Collaert. What are your first impressions? Editor: It strikes me as quite bifurcated, almost staged. We have an interior on the left, starkly juxtaposed with a bustling town square on the right. The artist uses an impressive degree of detail. Curator: Precisely! The composition is remarkable in its division and detail. Note the crisp linearity and the artist’s play with light and shadow to define space, particularly the textures and how Collaert models volume with hatching. What do you think of this interplay? Editor: The composition feels like a social commentary to me. The warm interior scene evokes domesticity and isolation, almost in direct defiance with the boisterous, external society pictured right. It brings questions about social obligations, roles and rituals present during this historical moment in the Low Countries. Curator: Intriguing point! Perhaps a nod to the contrasting private and public experiences within that society. It showcases not just daily life but the cultural expectations tied to particular times of year, particularly during February, a time of festivities transitioning towards Lent in certain traditions. The print visualises daily rituals! Editor: What resonates deeply with me is its potential socio-political narrative. The dichotomy forces you to examine what truly mattered: societal conformity or personal comfort. This kind of depiction certainly had power. Curator: Agreed, this work creates more than just a representation. The way Collaert handled form—especially that fascinating play between open and closed spaces—heightens the viewer’s curiosity. Editor: Absolutely, it highlights that we should strive for works to remind viewers of complex moments and societal fabrics as captured, say, in a moment of reflection by a single figure set against a moving tapestry. Curator: I will reflect further on this intriguing point, it is true that the balance he manages is one of both compositional and political thought. Editor: It enriches my appreciation of this piece. I love discovering an interesting print together.