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About This Work
Peasants are shown mowing and raking hay in a vast rural landscape, with some workers resting in the shade of a large central tree. In the upper left corner, the astrological sign of Leo identifies the month, while a farmhouse and a distant town with a church spire anchor the scene. The composition contrasts the strenuous labor of the field with a peaceful, shaded foreground, illustrating the peak of the summer season.
Produced within the courtly circle of Rudolf II in Prague, this print reflects the Renaissance interest in the correspondence between the macrocosm of the heavens and the microcosm of human activity. It belongs to the 'Labors of the Months' tradition, which integrated natural philosophy and astrology to demonstrate the divine order governing the terrestrial world.
Inscriptions(Latin)
IVLIVS. Qui quintus olim mensis erat a Martio, Jam septimas fastis Kalendas explicat, Sacroq' mactus nomine audit Caesaris: Videsne sudi flammeum ut poli jubar Siticulosa prata findat Syris! Mundi haec Solino credas cunabula! P. Stephani Inv. Marco Sadeler excudit.
Translation
JULIUS. He who was once the fifth month from March, Now unfolds the seventh Kalends in the calendar, And is magnified by the sacred name of Caesar: Do you see how the flaming radiance of the serene sky Cleaves the thirsty meadows with the heat of Syria! You might believe these to be the cradles of the world, according to Solinus! P. Stephani Inv. Marco Sadeler excudit.
Connected Texts
Gaius Julius Solinus
The Latin inscription explicitly references Solinus, a 3rd-century author whose geographical and natural history works were highly influential in the Renaissance.
Manilius
The inclusion of the zodiac sign Leo to govern the agricultural labor of July aligns with the tradition of astronomical poetry such as the Astronomica.
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 212 mm x width 285 mm
landscape
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.