Image Wikipedia
This
scene of rural life ilustrating February from the Très Riches Heures is
attributed to the artist identified as the 'the courtly painter'.
One group sensibly stays indoors and keeps warm by the fire in some comfort. Outside the sheep huddle under their shelter whilst the birds feed in the farmyard and the bees presumably hibernate in their hives. Some are still at work, including chopping down a tree for fuel, and another goes off to market. Despite the cold weather there is a sense of all being gathered safely in to keep warm and secure through this early fifteenth century winter. It may be idealised - whether places were as neat and tidy as the illuminators depict them throuhout the Très Riches Heures may be a reasonable question to ask - but it is nonetheless a world we can envisage and of which we can have some sense even in today's more hi-tech world.
One group sensibly stays indoors and keeps warm by the fire in some comfort. Outside the sheep huddle under their shelter whilst the birds feed in the farmyard and the bees presumably hibernate in their hives. Some are still at work, including chopping down a tree for fuel, and another goes off to market. Despite the cold weather there is a sense of all being gathered safely in to keep warm and secure through this early fifteenth century winter. It may be idealised - whether places were as neat and tidy as the illuminators depict them throuhout the Très Riches Heures may be a reasonable question to ask - but it is nonetheless a world we can envisage and of which we can have some sense even in today's more hi-tech world.
The painting inspired one of the scenes in Olivier's film of "Henry V" for the aftermath of Agincourt.
thanks....a beautiful picture!
ReplyDeleteDear me! The couple indoors are taking "warming themselves" most seriously. There seems to be a damp underwear theme to the whole picture. And do you have any idea why the man chopping wood is doing so without anything sensible on his lower half? Is it because there are some nice warm stockings waiting for him indoors?
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