Artwork
September and October
September and October is an ink print by the Baroque artist Aegidius Sadeler II. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1615, this engraving on laid paper presents a paired view of September and October. The left panel shows grape harvesting and apple sorting, while the right panel depicts barrel loading, animal care, and tool handling. A ruined temple rises on a hill in the distance, and a modest village extends toward a far‑off city, framing the seasonal labor scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The composition functions as a visual calendar, labeling each half with the month it represents. Activities correspond to typical autumn tasks: viticulture and fruit gathering for September, followed by storage and preparation for winter in October. The inclusion of a decayed classical structure hints at the passage of time and the transitory nature of human effort within the yearly cycle.
Technique & Style
Executed by the Flemish engraver Aegidius Sadeler II, the image employs fine line work characteristic of Northern Renaissance prints. The artist’s skill in rendering texture—vine leaves, wooden barrels, stone ruins—demonstrates the meticulous reproductive engraving tradition, where metal plates and ink produce intricate, repeatable images on laid paper.
History & Provenance
Sadeler worked at the court of Rudolf II in Prague, a hub for artists serving the Habsburg patrons of the early 17th century. The print likely circulated among collectors interested in allegorical and genre scenes, reflecting the court’s taste for detailed, didactic imagery that combined classical references with everyday labor.
Context
During the early 1600s, European art frequently incorporated calendar motifs to educate and entertain. This work aligns with that trend, merging genre representation with allegorical symbolism. Its dual‑month format mirrors contemporary book illustrations that organized the year into visual narratives, linking agricultural cycles to broader cultural and moral themes.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Aegidius Sadeler or Aegidius Sadeler II (1570–1629) was a Flemish engraver who was principally active at the Prague court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and his successors.
