Februarius: vastenavondscène op een Italiaans plein 1596 - 1631

Jacob Matham created this print, “Februarius: vastenavondscène op een Italiaans plein,” depicting an Italian square during Carnival, a festival traditionally celebrated before Lent. Matham, born in Haarlem, Netherlands, made this print to illustrate the month of February as part of a series of the seasons. Carnival was a time of social upheaval, where class and social roles were temporarily inverted. The print captures the atmosphere of revelry and excess; street performers, carriages and people fill the square to mark the start of the season. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the period in which Matham was working, there was a growing divide between the wealthy merchant class and the working class. Carnival provided a brief release, a chance to forget one's troubles. The print presents a sense of both exuberance and chaos, mirroring the tensions and freedoms characteristic of Carnival.