Babytijd onder invloed van de maan - Gerard de Jode

An allegorical engraving from the late sixteenth century depicting the influence of the moon on infancy, designed by Maerten de Vos and published by Gerard de Jode.

This engraving, published by Gerard de Jode, belongs to a series depicting the Seven Ages of Man, a popular theme in sixteenth-century European art. The composition is divided into two distinct registers. In the upper section, the personification of the Moon, Luna, floats amidst clouds, holding a crescent moon above her head. A crayfish, the astrological symbol for Cancer, appears beside her, signifying the lunar influence on the early stages of human life.

The lower register presents a busy scene of infancy. A central female figure, labelled Natura, sits with two infants at her breast. Surrounding her, numerous children engage in various activities, such as playing with hoops, walking on stilts, and gathering near a fire. The background features a townscape, grounding the allegorical subject in a recognisable setting. The print is based on a design by Maerten de Vos, a prolific artist of the period, and was executed by the engraver Adriaen Collaert. The Latin inscription at the base translates to: Under the auspices of the Moon, the gifts of Nature grow, and from this, the infant conceives all its strength.

The work demonstrates the technical precision characteristic of late sixteenth-century Dutch printmaking. The use of cross-hatching and varied line weights creates a sense of volume in the figures and depth in the atmospheric clouds. The inclusion of astrological and classical motifs reflects the intellectual climate of the time, where human development was frequently linked to celestial movements. This print offers a window into the period's fascination with the intersection of natural philosophy, astrology, and human life cycles.