Winter
Hans Bol (1534-1593), engraving, 1570, engraved by Pieter van der Heyden. From the set of the Four Seasons. Reference: Hollstein 202 (first state of 2), Lebeer 78. Condition problematic: several thin spots, repaired areas, brown spot in image, other flaws, trimmed around the borderline, 9 x 11 1/4 inches.
Watermark: Gothic P
A very good impression.
When he died Pieter Bruegel the Elder had completed 2 drawings for the set of the Four Seasons; one was executed in 1565, another in 1568, undertaken by Hieronymus Cock. The publisher entrusted completion of the set to Hans Bol.
Bol’s design is closely linked to a Bruegel drawing of 1558 which was also published as an engraving by Cock: Ice Skating before the Gate of Saint George. Bol follows Breugel’s depiction of large-scale human figures as well as showing the ice and snow of the winter season. This design was one of the early prototypes of the later very popular genre of winter scenes done by Dutch artists; indeed Pieter Bruegel the Younger probably used this as a model for his 1616 series of paintings of the same subject matter, now in Bucharest.
Detail