November and December from "The Peasants' Feast" or "The Twelve Months"
1546–47
Medium
Engraving; second state of two (Pauli)
Dimensions
sheet: 1 7/8 x 2 3/4 in. (4.8 x 7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.529.55
Tags
Art Historical Context
Sebald Beham, a leading figure among the German "Little Masters" of the Renaissance, created this enchanting engraving *November and December* around 1546–47 as part of his series *The Peasants' Feast*also known as *The Months*). These tiny prints, no larger than a modern postcard (1 7/8 x 2 3/4 inches), captured the rhythms of rural life across the seasons, blending meticulous detail with lively storytelling. Beham's works reflect the Northern Renaissance's fascination with everyday folk, drawing from peasant festivals and the liturgical calendar to evoke joy and community. In this second st...
About the Artist
Sebald Beham · 1500–1550
Sebald Beham (1500–1550), a pioneering German printmaker and painter born in Nuremberg, emerged as one of the most prolific artists of the Northern Renaissance. The elder brother of fellow artist Barthel Beham, he grew up in a milieu steeped in artistic tradition, though details of his early training remain sparsely documented. Recorded as a journeyman painter (Malergeselle) by 1521 and a master w...