Artwork
Les Festes du mois de Feburier (February: the Purification of the Virgin)
Les Festes du mois de Feburier (February: the Purification of the Virgin) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Léonard Gaultier. It dates from 1603 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
You see a crowded 1603 engraving showing February’s feast days. A line of people carries candles to church. Others feast at long tables. Tiny details show snow, food, even a frozen river.
Gaultier packed six scenes into one page. Look close and you’ll spot a man warming hands by a fire. The paper’s rough texture shows age but the lines stay sharp.
Check how artists used cross-hatching to shade.
Overview
This 1603 engraving on laid paper, titled 'Les Festes du mois de Feburier', depicts the religious and festive events associated with February. Created by Léonard Gaultier, it showcases multiple scenes from the month.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving illustrates various feast days in February, including the Purification of the Virgin Mary, as well as the feasts of Saint Peter and Saint Matthias. It presents a range of activities, from processions with candles to feasting at long tables.
Technique & Style
Gaultier's work is characterized by its dense composition, with six distinct scenes packed into a single page. The use of cross-hatching creates shading, adding depth to the engraving. The rough texture of the aged paper contrasts with the sharpness of the lines.
Artist & collection
Artist
Léonard Gaultier, or, as he sometimes signed himself, Galter, a French engraver, was born at Mainz about 1561, and died in Paris in 1641.
