The Hay Harvest (June)

in or before 1521

Jörg Breu the Elder

Associated Names
Jörg Breu the Elder

Artist, German, c. 1475 - 1537

The image shows a landscape with farm laborers engaging in various tasks. The scene is viewed from a slightly elevated perspective, with hills, small structures, and a building on a peak in the background. The artwork uses a detailed linework technique with fine brushstrokes, giving it a sketch-like appearance. It is rendered in monochromatic tones of beige and sepia, highlighting the intricate details. Figures in the foreground are interacting, some holding rakes and others seated with hats. The busy scene continues into the distance, where more figures work their way up the hills. The background includes more hills, clouds, and a partially concealed sun.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and black ink with gray wash on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall (diameter): 23.6 cm (9 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1979.45.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Galerie Kornfeld); acquired 1979 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1983

  • Graphics Survey Exhibition, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., May 1983.

2012

  • Imperial Augsburg: Renaissance Prints and Drawings, 1475-1540, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, TX; Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2012-2014, no. 57, repro. fig. 7.

Bibliography

1959

  • Wegner, W., Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte, 22:1 1959: 17-36.

Watermarks

Anchor (Meder 171)

Wikidata ID

Q64584519

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