Lente c. 1578 - 1582

Philips Galle made this engraving titled ‘Spring’ in the Netherlands, sometime around 1600. The image depicts a courtly celebration of the season, full of dancing and music. The broader context for this sort of imagery is found in the tradition of court festivals held throughout Europe, which involved elaborate costumes, pageantry, and allegorical themes. This kind of festival served a social function, allowing the aristocracy to display their wealth, power, and refinement. The festivals, and images like this one commemorating them, reinforced social hierarchies by including people according to their rank, gender, and profession, but only in designated places. Notice how the peasantry are in the background and only royalty is allowed near the arcade. They also bolstered courtly ideology by illustrating abstract values in visual form. By studying prints and engravings like this one, alongside letters, diaries, and financial records, we can build up a detailed picture of the culture of early modern Europe and the social institutions that supported it.