April, from The Twelve Months
c. 1574
Medium
Etching from two plates on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 19.3 × 24 cm (7 5/8 × 9 1/2 in.); sheet: 30 × 37.6 cm (11 13/16 × 14 13/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
267957
Art Historical Context
**April, from *The Twelve Months*** Created around 1574 by Flemish artist Pieter van der Borcht, this captures the essence of spring in a renowned series depicting the cycle of the year. Van der Borcht, active in Antwerp during the late Renaissance, was a skilled engraver known for his detailed landscapes and genre scenes influenced by masters like Pieter Bruegel Elder. As part of *The Twelve Months*, "April" likely illustrates seasonal labors and rural life, reflecting the Flemish fascination with the rhythms of nature and peasant activities amid the Dutch Revolt era. The artwork's medium—...