The Labors of the Months: Ploughing (September)
mid-16th century
Medium
Painted enamel on copper, partly gilt
Dimensions
Width: 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm)
Classification
Enamels
Culture
French, Limoges
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.259
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the mid-16th century, enameler Jean II Pénica crafted *The Labors of the: Ploughing ()*, a exquisite painted enamel on copper, partly gilt, measuring just 3¼ inches wide. This delicate panel captures the essence of rural toil during the harvest season, depicting men guiding horses as they plow the earth in preparation for sowing winter crops. Part of a renowned series illustrating the cyclical labors of the months—a medieval and Renaissance tradition— it reflects the rhythms of agrarian life in Limoges, France, a hub for enamel production during the Renaissance. Limoges enamels like this o...