Labors of the Months Paintings
This post is part of a series entitled Dinner Table Reflections designed to help families engage with works of art together, instilling in children Truth, Goodness, and Beauty while cultivating a habit of regular contemplation and discussion.
The Labors of the Months refers to a series of medieval images showing rural life across the year through 12 different scenes. While there are a variety of sets of different images, they typically include similar actions across the 12 scenes such as images of harvesting, plowing, and feasting. These series were intended to reflect the rhythm of creation and the order of life.
Take a few minutes to identify a freely viewable series (there are several but here is in the public domain and another from a college can be found ) and bookmark it to share with your family. This can be done with all 12 images over a short period of time (e.g., one image a day) or you can introduce an image each month as it aligns to the calendar.
As you view each image, let the conversation flow naturally, but here are some question prompts to use as needed and if beneficial:
- What do you notice people doing in the scene/image?
- Pay particular attention to different groups, and note details such as who is near, who is far.
- Of those activities, which would represent work (labors)? Are there any that depict leisure? The depict both labor and leisure?
- Can work and leisure occur at the same time?
- Which month/season might this image represent? What makes you draw that conclusion?
- What differences do you note about their time and our era today?
- Do you see hints of scripture through elements such as harvesting, plowing, feasting, or even creation via creating?
- Is there anything you find surprising? Humorous? Confusing?
As always, there is no need for right answers, only reflection, contemplation, and conversation.
Wish to read more? View the full list of Dinner Table Reflections here!
