February with the sign of Pisces
Painter: Jan Kamphuijsen
Year:
Medium: oil on panel
Description: As the inscription at the bottom states, the subject of this painting is the month of February. The sign of the constellation fish is depicted on a relief with a black fond. The boat may have been taken from tapestry series designed by Claude III Audran (1658-1734) around 1709, Le Douze Mois Grotesques, which was printed by Jean Audran (1667-1756). The print depicting the first two months shows a similar boat at February. Instead of Neptune, the patron god of February, the painting shows the sea god Okeanos. He is identified by his long beard and horns and, as usual, is surrounded by the snakes and fish.
This painting is part of a series of pilaster panels (sk-a-4142 to sk-a-4150) commissioned by Josephus Augustus Brentano (1753-1821) for his house Herengracht 544.
