Labor of the month February c. 1622

Matthäus Merian the Elder made this drawing, "Labor of the month February," sometime in the early to mid-17th century. This image reflects the social hierarchy of the time. February, often a time of meager resources, is represented by the work of elites, not agricultural labor. The scene is not the toil of farmers, but rather a celebration or festival, enjoyed by the upper classes. Merian was a publisher and printmaker working in a period of religious and political upheaval, the Thirty Years' War. His work often reflects a desire for order and hierarchy. The "labors of the month" theme itself, common in art, served to reinforce a vision of society where everyone has their place and role. To understand this image fully, we might look to period almanacs, festival records, and sumptuary laws that dictated who could wear what. This is how we can understand the social and institutional contexts that shape art and give it meaning.