September 17th century

Curator: We're looking at "September," a 17th-century woodcut print by an anonymous artist. Editor: My first thought? Slightly unsettling, like stumbling upon a scene frozen in time. The stark black and white, the stiff figures—it's all rather…ominous. Curator: Observe how the composition is rigidly structured. A group of figures surrounds what appears to be a sick or deceased person placed on a pallet. The use of line work creates sharp contrasts, almost geometric in their precision. Editor: There’s a stark division in the image, isn't there? We've got this intimate, almost claustrophobic grouping on the left and this...earthy expanse, with upturned spades, on the right. Almost like opposing forces at play. Maybe life and...well, its opposite? Curator: Precisely. Note also the inscription at the top: "September, Herfstmaent." This indicates a symbolic link between the image and the autumnal season. September representing transition, change, decline. It provides a key into reading the broader themes, in this case, life in transition through to decay. Editor: Absolutely. And those tools... they're not subtle. There's a sense of labor, finality, of preparing the ground. Is that the scales of Libra floating above? Curator: Indeed. Astrological symbols were often incorporated into such images, lending an additional layer of symbolic meaning. The artist emphasizes the passage of time and fate, connecting human action with cosmic order. Editor: Thinking about it as a seasonal scene, it gives those cloaked figures on the left a totally different dimension too. Instead of ominous, they seem burdened somehow, carrying the weight of the fading year on their shoulders. The composition really tells a story. Curator: An intricate play of structure, symbolism, and meaning all compacted into one simple scene! Editor: Yes. It started out sinister, but the details, as ever, invite us into seeing so much more than first impressions can offer. It feels human.