Attributed to Abel Grimmer (Antwerp c. 1570-before 1619)

Many small pictures by Abel Grimmer originally formed part of series often depicting the months of the year or the seasons, as is the case with the present composition. The time of year can be recognized by the weather and the activities of the figures depicted. The signs of the zodiac in the sky also identify the time of year. Signs of the zodiac are rare in Grimmer's work, but in including them he drew on a long tradition of depictions of months and seasons starting with Medieval miniatures, the most famous example being the months in the Très Riches Heures of the Duc de Berry by the Limburg brothers.

A picture of spring with signs of the zodiac, that was originally part of the same series, was with P. de Boer in 1960-1 (see R. de Bertier de Sauvigny, op. cit., p. 302, no. 6). Pictures of Autumn and Winter are not known.

This lot is sold with certificates by Dr. Walther Bernt, dated 27 November 1953, and by Dr. Reine de Bertier de Sauvigny, dated 12 March 1998, who both attribute the picture in full to the artist.