Artwork

Nine Months with Signs of the Zodiac: February with the Sign of Pisces

Nine Months with Signs of the Zodiac: February with the Sign of Pisces is an oil painting by Jan Kamphuysen. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Jan Kamphuysen’s 1796 oil work, *Nine Months with Signs of the Zodiac: February with the Sign of Pisces*, is a vertically oriented panel that combines vivid coloration with ornamental detail. The composition is framed by a gold‑leaf background and includes a mermaid, a ship, cherubic figures, and a floral vase, all arranged as if wrapped around a classical column. The piece is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The painting merges astrological symbolism with allegorical imagery.

The painting merges astrological symbolism with allegorical imagery. The mermaid, rendered with green hair, cradles a vase that appears to overflow with blossoms, suggesting fertility and renewal associated with February and the sign of Pisces. Above her, a golden cross crowns a red‑sailed ship, while a shield bearing a black‑and‑white pattern adds a heraldic element, reinforcing themes of navigation and protection.

Technique & Style

Kamphuysen employed a rich palette of gold leaf and bright pigments, creating a luminous surface through layered glazing that enhances depth and sheen. The narrow format forces a compressed, decorative rhythm, while the use of odd, stylized shapes reflects his background in theatrical set design. The painter’s handling of oil allows fine detail in the cherubs, flowers, and maritime motifs.

History & Provenance

Born in Amsterdam in 1760, Kamphuysen trained under theatre decorator Pieter Barbiers before establishing a career in interior decoration, landscape, and historical allegory. *Nine Months with Signs of the Zodiac* was completed in 1796 and later entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it remains on view as an example of late‑18th‑century Dutch decorative painting.

Context

The work belongs to a broader series that paired each month with its zodiac sign, a popular motif in the Enlightenment era that linked calendar cycles to mythological and natural imagery. Kamphuysen’s decorative approach reflects contemporary tastes for elaborate interior schemes, where paintings often served both aesthetic and didactic functions within domestic and public spaces.