August
1772
Medium
Black chalk, brown, black or gray ink and watercolor
Dimensions
sheet: 5 3/16 x 7 7/16 in. (13.1 x 18.9 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Charles and Jessie Price Gift, 2005
Accession Number
2005.249.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
**August** by Hendrik Meijer, in 1772, a serene rural Dutch landscape during the height of summer. This intimate drawing depicts everyday life with windmills dotting the horizon, sturdy buildings, women engaged in daily tasks, horses, and dogs—evoking the pastoral charm of 18th-century. Titled for the month, it likely reflects the warmth and activity of harvest season, a common theme in Dutch art that celebrates the harmony between people, animals, and the land. Rendered on a modest sheet measuring just 5 3/16 x 7 7/16 inches (13.1 x 18.9 cm), Meijer masterfully employs black chalk for soft s...