December 1635 - 1694

Dirck de Bray made this tiny woodcut, “December,” in the late 17th century. The image is made entirely from lines cut into the surface of a block of wood. The parts that are left uncut are inked, and then the image is transferred to paper. The labor here is of two kinds: the physical labor of the construction worker, and the skilled, patient work of the artist. De Bray shows us the work of building itself. We see an angel using a hammer to break stones, preparing them to be fitted into a wall. Angels are generally thought of as spiritual beings, but here, he's very much engaged in manual labor. Woodcut is of course a relatively humble medium, and this print is quite small, so it would have been an inexpensive thing to produce. The print’s message is clear: December, the time of year when building stops. But the idea is bigger than that: it speaks to the seasonal rhythms of work, and also to the dignity of labor, no matter how lofty or humble.