Winter c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have "Winter," a print by Julius Goltzius from the late 16th century. It's full of figures ice skating and generally frolicking in the snow. What strikes me is the contrast between the wealthy figures in the foreground and the chaos behind them. How do you interpret this scene? Curator: I see it as a commentary on social hierarchy during that period. Notice the inscription; it hints at fate intermingling joy with sorrow. The wealthy, seemingly insulated in their sleigh, are juxtaposed with the everyday struggles and entertainment of the common people. It speaks to the public spectacle of wealth and the social order of the time. Is this division perhaps the point of the piece? Editor: That's a great point about public spectacle. I didn’t consider the way wealth is displayed. Curator: Exactly! Goltzius invites us to consider the societal implications of this display and the implied social contract of the era.