September and October from "The Peasants' Feast" or "The Twelve Months"

Art Historical Context

Sebald Beham, a leading member of the so-called “Little Masters” of sixteenth-century Nuremberg, created this tiny engraving as part of a twelve-print series depicting the months through lively peasant gatherings. Working in the refined technique of engraving on copper, Beham could render remarkably crisp detail within a format scarcely larger than a playing card. The second state of the plate shows his careful attention to the rhythms of rural life, here celebrating the harvest months of September and October with music, dance, and communal feasting. The scene captures men and women linked in vigorous dance, their simple clothing and animated gestures reflecting the period’s growing artistic interest in everyday subjects. Such prints circulated widely, allowing viewers from many social ranks to enjoy images once reserved for courtly patrons. Beham’s work thus bridges late medieval tradition and the emerging taste for genre imagery that would flourish in later Northern European art. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 1966, this delicate impression preserves the vitality of peasant celebration while demonstrating the technical brilliance of Renaissance printmaking.

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...