Winter

An elderly, bearded man bundled in heavy fur robes and a hood clutches a smoking portable stove against the cold. In the upper border, the astrological signs of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces appear in medallions, while a personified wind-head blows icy gusts. A miniature winter landscape in the background shows a frozen river with tiny figures skating near a fortified town.

This engraving reflects the Renaissance interest in cosmic cycles and the correspondence between the aging of man and the turning of the seasons. It illustrates the 'Four Seasons' tradition where natural philosophy and astrology are used to map the rhythmic changes of the macrocosm onto the human experience.