Artwork
Spring
Spring is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Pieter van der Heyden. It dates from 1570 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left, in image, in plate: Bruegel inuet.; lower right, in image, in plate: H. Cock. excud. 1570; lower right, in image, in plate: PAME [artist's monogram]; in lower margin, at left, in plate: Martius, Aprilis, Maius, sunt tempora ueris. (March, April, and May are the months of Spring.); in lower margin, in central cartouche, in plate: VER / Pueritie compar (Spring, similar to childhood); in lower margin, at right, in plate: Vere Venus gaudet florentibus aurea sertis. (In Spring golden Venus rejoices in garlands of blooming flowers.) [translation from Nadine Orenstein, ed., Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Drawings and Prints. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001, p. 236.]
About this work
Overview
Spring is a 1570 engraving by Pieter van der Heyden, a Flemish printmaker known for reproducing works by prominent Flemish artists. This print exemplifies the technical prowess of 16th-century Flemish printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a bustling farm scene with various laborers engaged in tasks such as herding sheep, carrying buckets, and digging. Notably, the scene lacks an apparent figure of authority, and the sheep roam freely, suggesting a possible commentary on social hierarchy or communal work.
Technique & Style
Characteristic of Flemish printmaking at the time, Spring showcases precise technical execution and intricate dark linework, rendering the busy scene in sharp detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1570, Spring reflects the flourishing printmaking industry of the mid-16th century, which facilitated the widespread dissemination of artistic imagery. The specific provenance of this engraving is not detailed here.
Context
Produced during a period when reproductive engravings were crucial for spreading the work of prominent painters and designers, Spring sits within the broader context of Flemish artistic reproduction and distribution.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
