Maart 17th century

This small woodcut print, titled 'Maart', was made by an anonymous artist. It depicts a scene of rural life under the Zodiac sign of Aries. The image speaks to the agricultural rhythms and religious beliefs of its time. Made in the Netherlands, likely in the 16th or 17th century, the print provides insight into the worldview of a deeply agrarian society. You can see the peasant taking shelter from the rain under a tree, while in the background a windmill and village scene unfold, illustrating daily life. This imagery is less about individual expression than the representation of collective values. Prints like this were often made for almanacs. These were mass-produced and disseminated, helping to shape a shared cultural identity and serving as a way of reinforcing a specific social order. Understanding this artwork means looking beyond aesthetics. We can explore the popular beliefs, the economic systems, and the institutions that gave rise to it through careful historical research. This shifts our understanding of art from the individual to the collective, and the ways in which images create shared meaning.