Winter

A young woman in seventeenth-century costume warms herself by the glowing coal of an earthenware brazier. She has lifted her skirts to allow the warmth to penetrate to the rest of her body. In Everdingen's day, the image of a person warming their hands was commonly used to represent winter.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 11 minutes): Vivaldi: Concerto in F minor RV 297 op. 8 No. 4 (Winter)