Hooimaand (July) - Evert Wyntgis

A 1630 ink and wash drawing by Evert Wyntgis depicting the agricultural activities of July, featuring labourers at work and a gentleman observer.

This drawing by Evert Wyntgis, dated 1630, depicts the agricultural activities associated with the month of July, known in Dutch as Hooimaand or hay month. The composition is divided between the labouring peasantry and a figure of higher social standing. On the left, a group of workers is engaged in the harvest, using rakes and scythes to gather hay. Their clothing is functional and simple, reflecting the realities of rural life in the seventeenth-century Netherlands.

In contrast, the right side of the drawing features a man dressed in the elaborate fashion of the period, complete with a wide-brimmed hat, a doublet with ribbons, and tall boots. He stands beside a horse, observing the scene with a gesture that suggests oversight or ownership. This juxtaposition of the working class and the landed gentry is a common trope in Dutch art of the era, reflecting the social hierarchies of the time.

Above the scene, a small lion is depicted in the clouds, representing the zodiac sign of Leo, which corresponds to the month of July. The artist uses a clear, linear style with delicate grey washes to define the forms and create a sense of space. The background shows a flat, open field with distant farm buildings, characteristic of the Dutch countryside. The drawing is signed and dated at the bottom, providing a precise record of its creation. This work offers a glimpse into the seasonal rhythms of Dutch life, where the cycle of the year was closely tied to the demands of the land and the celestial movements observed by the populace.