1570
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Autumn is a 1570 ink by Pieter van der Heyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This crowded scene shows a busy harvest in a village. People are working with tools, carrying sacks, and tending to animals. In the center, a woman holds a child while another person points toward a pile of grain. The background has a church, windmills, and a river with a bridge. The whole image is drawn with sharp lines and dark shading. The text at the bottom calls it *Autumn* and hints at hard work as a sign of strength. The artist packed in tiny details—every tool, animal, and person has a role. Try looking up engraving to see how artists like this made prints with metal plates.
Pieter van der Heyden (c. 1530 - after March 1572) was a Flemish printmaker who is known for his reproductive engravings after works by leading Flemish painters and designers of the 16th century.
See the richer artist page
