November c. 16th century

Curator: This is Étienne Delaune's "November," currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The crisp, almost clinical linework immediately strikes me. Editor: It's pastoral, idyllic...a rather romanticized view of labor, isn't it? Curator: Certainly, the depiction of a swineherd seems to draw on classical tropes, but also reflects the material reality of agricultural labor. His tools, his connection to the animals... Editor: And that figure working with wood in the background? Are we meant to see a division of labor? Are these the material roots of society, presented without critique? Curator: Perhaps Delaune is prompting us to consider the foundations of societal structures, acknowledging the often-overlooked contributions of those engaged in physical labor. Editor: It leaves you pondering the narratives we construct around work and value. Curator: Indeed, and how those narratives shape our understanding of ourselves within larger power structures.