September

Cornelis Dusart created this print titled ‘September’ around 1700, using etching and engraving. Dusart was working in a Netherlands still deeply shaped by the Dutch Golden Age. Here, we see laborers engaged in the harvest, their faces etched with the strain of physical work. This image offers a glimpse into the lives of the working class, often overlooked in favor of more idealized depictions of Dutch life. The laborers are shown from various angles. Some are carrying heavy baskets, others load apples into a boat, while others are carrying apples away from the canal. The composition emphasizes the communal nature of labor, as the figures all work together. Look closely at the swan in the lower left corner; it is indifferent to the bustle of human activity. Dusart subtly contrasts the labor and lives of the working class with the natural world. In looking at this piece, we might reflect on the dignity of labor, and how it connects us to the seasons and the earth.