September

Art Historical Context

Created in 1628–, *September* is etching that captures the quiet rhythms of early autumn along a riverside landscape. The collaborative work between Wenceslaus Hollar, a skilled Bohemian printmaker renowned for his precise topographical views, and Jan van de Velde II, a Dutch artist celebrated for his atmospheric scenes, reflects the cross-cultural exchange of printmaking traditions in the seventeenth century. The medium of etching, with its capacity for delicate linework and tonal subtlety, was ideally suited to rendering the reflective water, clustered houses, and figures engaged in daily activities. The composition features a tranquil river populated by boats, with men and women going about their routines amid scattered dwellings. This scene evokes the seasonal labors and leisure of the period, when waterways served as vital arteries for trade and community life. As part of a likely series depicting the months, the print offers viewers a glimpse into how artists transformed ordinary landscapes into meditations on time and nature. Hollar’s meticulous technique combines with van de Velde’s Dutch sensitivity to light and atmosphere, resulting in a work that feels both documentary and poetic. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through the Elisha Whittelsey Fund, *September* invites us to appreciate the enduring appeal of printmaking as a means of preserving fleeting moments in history.

About the Artist

Wenceslaus Hollar|Jan van de Velde II · 1607–1677

Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) was a prolific Bohemian etcher who became one of the most accomplished printmakers of the seventeenth century. Born in Prague, he trained under Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt before entering the service of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, in 1636. Hollar spent most of his career in England, where he produced approximately 2,740 etchings documenting an extraordinary range...