The Four Seasons

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Instructor	The Four Seasons.	0:01
	In 2000,	0:03
	the history of medicine collections	0:05
	and Anthony Benson,	0:06
	formerly of the Division	0:08
	of Educational Media Services	0:09
	at Duke University School of Medicine	0:11
	produced an interactive version	0:13
	of The Four Seasons.	0:16
	This version was reprogrammed	0:18
	for the web with funds donated	0:20
	by Dr. John P. McGovern.	0:22
	The Four Seasons are unique	0:25
	17th century copper plate engravings	0:26
	from the Trent Collection	0:29
	that were digitally reconstructed	0:30
	for more than 200 photographs	0:32
	in order to reproduce the experience	0:34
	of lifting the multilayered flaps	0:36
	and volvelles to reveal	0:38
	various anatomical dissections,	0:40
	a metaphor for the stages	0:43
	of human life.	0:44
	The prints illustrate	0:45
	not only human anatomy,	0:46
	but a replete with allusions	0:48
	to alchemy, astrology, astronomy	0:50
	botany, geography, palmistry,	0:53
	physiology, uroscopy	0:56
	and zoology.	0:58
	This interactive web version	1:00
	will no longer exist	1:02
	as of December, 2020.	1:04
	This is a recording	1:07
	of the interactive web version.	1:09
	The engravings of The Four Seasons	1:12
	remain in the history	1:14
	of medicine collections	1:16
	as part of the	1:17
	Josiah Charles Trent collection,	1:18
	located in the Rubenstein Rare Book	1:20
	and Manuscript Library	1:22
	at Duke University.	1:23
	Please contact the Rubinstein Library	1:25
	the History of Medicine Collections	1:28
	if you have any questions at all.	1:29
	The Four Seasons historical background,	1:41
	The Four Seasons	1:44
	are four 17th century	1:45
	copper plate engravings	1:47
	approximately 51 centimeters	1:48
	by 41 centimeters	1:51
	of probable German	1:52
	or Flemish origin	1:54
	or possible English origin.	1:55
	One theory proposes	1:57
	they are the design	1:58
	of Robert Fludd.	2:00
	Each presents a season of the year	2:02
	as a metaphor for one	2:04
	of life stages.	2:05
	Birth is represented by spring,	2:07
	youth by summer,	2:10
	adulthood by fall,	2:12
	old age by winter.	2:14
	Although the works	2:17
	primarily illustrate human anatomy	2:18
	they are also densely laced	2:20
	with allusions to what	2:22
	are today known as alchemy,	2:23
	astrology, astronomy, zoology,	2:25
	botany, geography,	2:28
	physiology, uroscopy,	2:30
	and palmistry.	2:32
	Each engraving contains a number	2:33
	of complex parts	2:35
	involving multiple layers	2:37
	of super-imposed paper flaps	2:39
	and volvelles.	2:40
	This copy is believed	2:42
	to be the only one	2:43
	of the series in existence.	2:44
	Little is firmly known	2:47
	of the origin of these works.	2:49
	And despite the considerable efforts	2:50
	of a group of scholars	2:52
	under the leadership	2:54
	of H.F.J Horstmanshoff	2:55
	from the University of Leiden,	2:58
	which has led to the publication	3:00
	The Four Seasons of Human Life	3:02
	published in 2001,	3:05
	they still remain somewhat	3:07
	of a scholarly mystery.	3:09
	The prints can only been,	3:12
	only be traced back to 1912	3:14
	when they were in the possession	3:16
	of sir D'Arcy Power.	3:18
	Upon his death,	3:20
	the engravings were sold by Sotheby's	3:21
	at an auction held in London	3:23
	on the 9th of June in 1941.	3:25
	They were purchased	3:28
	by Frank Hollings,	3:29
	an antiquarian dealer	3:30
	for 70 pounds.	3:32
	Eventually, they made their way	3:33
	through Henry Schumann,	3:35
	another dealer,	3:36
	into the collection	3:37
	of Duke physician,	3:38
	Dr. Josiah Charles Trent.	3:40
	In March of 1992,	3:43
	Dr. James H Semans	3:45
	and Mrs. Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans,	3:47
	Dr. Trent's widow,	3:50
	formerly presented these works	3:51
	as part of the Trent collection	3:53
	to the History of Medicine Collections	3:55
	at the Duke University	3:57
	Medical Center Library.	3:58
	This program was produced	4:04
	for the History	4:06
	of Medicine Collections	4:06
	at the Duke University	4:07
	Medical Center Library	4:09
	by the Division of Education Media Services	4:10
	of the Duke University Medical Center	4:13
	with funds donated	4:15
	by Dr. John P. McGovern.	4:17
	The executive producer	4:19
	was Suzanne Porter,	4:20
	curator of the History	4:22
	of Medicine Collections.	4:23
	Interface design, programming,	4:25
	and animation was created	4:27
	by Anthony Benson,	4:30
	digital flap reconstruction	4:32
	by Rob DeVoe, Brian Seabock	4:33
	and Will Kountis.	4:35
	Digital image acquisition	4:37
	and manipulation	4:38
	provided by Courtney Queeny	4:39
	and Ben Easly.	4:41
	CD cover and case design	4:44
	provided by Molly Renda.	4:46
	Original photography	4:48
	provided by Bill Gage	4:50
	and Bill Bamberger.	4:52
	The copyright of	4:54
	this interactive web site	4:56
	is 2000 Duke university.	4:58

Narrator	The Four Seasons, Spring.	0:01
	Spring is represented by an infant	0:06
	emerging from the womb and three other male figures.	0:09
	A boy seven months old, a boy three years and a boy 14,	0:14
	suggesting various stages of childhood.	0:21
	The mythological figure,	0:24
	wearing a helmet and seated on the far right	0:26
	with its back to the viewer,	0:29
	has a possible association with a goddess Minerva.	0:31
	Her age is seven years.	0:35
	The sun and the moon are in the upper left	0:38
	and right corners respectively,	0:42
	a position they occupy in all four of the prints.	0:44
	The figures are framed by calendrical and zodiacal arches	0:49
	displaying information related	0:54
	to the time of year represented.	0:56
	Directly beneath are a pair of swallows	0:59
	carrying a banner announcing the season, Ver.	1:02
	Flowering trees flank the figures,	1:07
	on the left an almond and on the right a mulberry.	1:10
	Behind the branches of these trees	1:15
	are the faces of the North and South winds.	1:17
	As in all the prints, pennants, banderoles	1:22
	and the leaves of the trees	1:26
	are inscribed in Latin or Greek	1:27
	with Proverbs and Hippocratic aphorisms	1:30
	and biblical or neoclassical texts.	1:33
	At the bottom of the print are a wide variety of plants	1:37
	and flowers corresponding to the season.	1:41
	In the background,	1:44
	a lush landscape is populated with animals:	1:45
	Cow, stag, rabbit, pig, fox and sheep.	1:49
	The geographic map beneath the newborn	1:55
	on the left is missing	1:59
	and presumed to have represented Europe.	2:01
	The celestial map is of the Northern Hemisphere.	2:04
	The two older boys each carry a flask,	2:08
	but the contents of only one is identified.	2:12
	It is marked phlegma or phlegm	2:15
	for one of Galen's four humors,	2:18
	each of which is associated with one of the seasons.	2:20
	Flaps open in various areas of the print	2:25
	to reveal anatomical details	2:29
	of specific parts of the human body.	2:32
	(computer mouse clicking)	2:35
	Arches.	2:43
	Counting from the top down,	2:45
	the arches record the stellar phases,	2:47
	signs of the zodiac, calendar scale, three types of months	2:51
	and the motion of the moon for the season.	2:55
	(computer mouse clicking)	2:58
	Sun.	3:27
	Sun conceals side views of eye anatomy.	3:29
	(computer mouse clicks)	3:34
	Exterior view of eyeball with muscles	3:36
	and flap of conjunctiva.	3:39
	(computer mouse clicks)	3:41
	Blood vessels on exterior of eyeball and optic nerve.	3:43
	(computer mouse clicks)	3:47
	Anterior and posterior chambers on the left,	3:49
	handwriting visible of previous flap on the right.	3:53
	(computer mouse clicking)	3:59
	Interior cavity of eye with flap of ciliary muscles.	4:04
	(computer mouse clicks)	4:09
	Ciliary muscles folded back.	4:10
	(computer mouse clicking)	4:13
	Moon.	4:26
	The phase of the moon is incorrectly shown	4:27
	as the waning crescent and should have been reversed	4:30
	with the waxing crescent in Autumnus.	4:34
	(computer mouse clicks)	4:37
	Blood vessels of the globe.	4:39
	(computer mouse clicks)	4:41
	Cornea with eyes surrounded by rectus and oblique muscles.	4:42
	(computer mouse clicks)	4:46
	Blood vessels and sclera on same level as Iris and pupil.	4:48
	(computer mouse clicks)	4:52
	Lens surrounded by ciliary zonules which hold it in place.	4:54
	Underside of previous flap shows iris.	4:59
	(computer mouse clicks)	5:02
	Retina and optic disk.(computer mouse clicks)	5:04
	Choroid.	5:07
	(computer mouse clicking)	5:09
	Swallows.	5:24
	Swallows, generally considered a symbol of rebirth,	5:25
	herald a return of Spring.	5:30
	(computer mouse clicking)	5:33
	Almond.	5:44
	The almond, which has an association	5:45
	in Christian tradition with the Virgin,	5:48
	blossoms early but bears its fruit very late.	5:51
	(computer mouse clicking)	5:57
	Mulberry.	6:22
	Mulberry blossoms are the last to appear	6:25
	but it's fruit is the first to be eaten.	6:28
	This tree is associated in classical mythology with Minerva.	6:32
	(computer mouse clicking)	6:38
	South wind.	7:09
	Auster, the South wind, brings a variety of illnesses	7:11
	among them a heavy head and general lassitude.	7:16
	(computer mouse clicking)	7:20
	Aquilo, the North wind brings illnesses	7:32
	such as coughs and sore throats.	7:36
	(computer mouse clicking)	7:41
	Infant.	7:55
	The geographic map of Europe	7:57
	is missing from its position beneath the infant.	7:59
	(computer mouse clicking)	8:04
	Unclosed skull plate or fontanelle of newborn.	8:11
	(computer mouse clicks)	8:15
	Toothless gums.	8:16
	(computer mouse clicks)	8:19
	Abdominal viscera with umbilical vessels and urachus.	8:21
	(computer mouse clicks)	8:27
	Fallopian tubes entering top of uterus.	8:28
	(computer mouse clicks)	8:31
	Uterus in cross-section.	8:33
	(computer mouse clicks)	8:36
	Double flaps disclose vagina.	8:37
	(computer mouse clicking)	8:40
	Boy, three years.	9:04
	(computer mouse clicking)	9:07
	Chin flap.	9:11
	(computer mouse clicks)	9:13
	Dentition.	9:15
	(computer mouse clicking)	9:16
	Boy, 14 years.	9:36
	The difference between the age of the central male figure	9:39
	and that of the female mythological figure is seven years.	9:43
	The same time span between the sexes	9:47
	remains constant in all four prints.	9:49
	(computer mouse clicking)	9:54
	Boy, seven months.	10:26
	(computer mouse clicking)	10:29
	Chin flap.	10:37
	(computer mouse clicks)	10:39
	Dentition.	10:41
	(computer mouse clicking)	10:43
	Mythological figure.	10:53
	(computer mouse clicking)	10:55
	Chin flap (computer mouse clicks)	11:02
	Dentition.	11:04
	(computer mouse clicking)	11:06
	Celestial map.	11:24
	The celestial map of the Northern Hemisphere,	11:26
	centered on the Northern Ecliptical pole,	11:30
	shows few new constellations since Ptolemy.	11:33
	(computer mouse clicking)	11:38
	Skull opened to reveal arteries and veins	11:57
	on dura mater of brain. (computer mouse clicks)	12:01
	Falx cerebri, sickle-shaped	12:05
	vertically oriented connective tissue,	12:07
	separates two hemispheres of the brain.	12:10
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:13
	Horizontal section through brain	12:15
	showing lateral ventricles.	12:17
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:20
	Horizontal section through basal ganglia,	12:22
	which is positioned above small flaps	12:25
	for third ventricle and thalamus.	12:28
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:31
	Third ventricle.(computer mouse clicks)	12:33
	Thalamus.	12:36
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:37
	Inferior section showing more ventricles.	12:39
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:43
	Base of brain looking up	12:44
	with arterial circle of Willis above,	12:46
	base of brain looking down	12:50
	with eyes connected to optic nerve, below.	12:52
	(computer mouse clicks)	12:57
	Dura mater covering base of skull.	12:58
	(computer mouse clicks)	13:02
	Dura mater stripped showing base of skull.	13:03
	(computer mouse clicking)	13:06
	Base of skull with jawbone and teeth.	13:12
	(computer mouse clicking)	13:17

Instructor	The Four Seasons: Summer.	0:02
	Summer shows a youthful man	0:05
	and a woman flanking a very large urine basket.	0:08
	Smaller versions of this basket	0:12
	were used to carry glass flasks	0:14
	in which urine was collected.	0:17
	The physician analyzed the color,	0:19
	odor, content, and quantity of urine	0:22
	to aid in the diagnosis of disease.	0:25
	The couple's arms are looped through the basket handles	0:28
	at the elbow and crossed at each other's wrist.	0:31
	Each holds a flask,	0:34
	one of which is identified as the humor,	0:37
	sanguis or blood.	0:40
	A sun is in the upper left corner	0:42
	but the moon has been lost.	0:44
	Beneath the calendrical and zodiacal arches a pair	0:47
	of turtledoves hold the banner for Aestas.	0:51
	A cherry tree is at the left	0:55
	and an apple at the right, both bearing fruit.	0:58
	Plants and flowers appear around the couple's feet.	1:02
	A camel and a horse are in the background,	1:06
	animals in keeping with the geographic map of Asia.	1:10
	The celestial map represents the southern hemisphere.	1:15
	In the lower right corner are two metrological tables:	1:19
	one of various units of length	1:24
	and the other for conversion.	1:26
	The man, the woman, the basket,	1:28
	and both maps, as well as the sun,	1:31
	cover additional layers.	1:34
	Arches.	1:46
	Counting from the top down,	1:47
	the arches record the stellar phases,	1:49
	signs of the zodiac, a calendar scale,	1:52
	three types of months, and the motion	1:55
	of the moon for this season.	1:58
	Sun.	2:42
	Sun conceals dissected anatomy of the hand.	2:43
	Hand, palm up view.	2:54
	Blood vessels in hand.	3:00
	Palmar aponeurosis on the left opposite subcutaneous view	3:05
	of the hand.	3:11
	Tendons connecting fingers to muscles of forearm	3:18
	on the left, and verso of palmar aponeurosis on the right.	3:21
	Thenar, hypothenar and dorsal interosseous muscles.	3:34
	Moon.	3:48
	The moon, which should have been full,	3:49
	is missing and likely concealed one of the five senses,	3:51
	hearing or smell not represented elsewhere.	3:56
	Handwriting visible on the pasteboard mount.	4:00
	Turtledoves.	4:09
	Turtledoves often represent purity and peace	4:11
	but here are probably intended as a symbol of lovemaking.	4:15
	Cherry.	4:35
	The cherry is an emblem of fruitfulness.	4:37
	Apple.	5:06
	The apple carries the dual meaning	5:08
	of a chastity test and a love charm.	5:11
	Geographic map.	5:52
	Map of Asia is compatible with animals in landscape.	5:54
	Heart and lungs.	6:11
	Interior of heart with a dove representing the soul.	6:16
	Vasculature and bronchi of lungs.	6:27
	Woman.	6:40
	18 years.	6:42
	Abdomen.	6:45
	Both flaps open to reveal reproductive organs,	6:55
	uterus, ovaries, and tubae with vascular pattern.	7:00
	Posterior surface of uterus.	7:09
	Flask.	7:32
	The contents of the flask marked with the humor,	7:33
	sanguis, or blood,	7:37
	rule hot and humid conditions.	7:39
	Urine Basket.	7:47
	The very large basket,	7:49
	which has been inscribed with the different qualities	7:51
	of urine, contains an equally large urine flask	7:54
	from which emerges a woman, Urina Meretrix.	7:58
	Urine flask with four different layers of urine deposit.	9:04
	Anterior view with flaps	9:12
	for right kidney, bladder and right testis.	9:14
	Right kidney is depicted unnaturally,	9:19
	quote weeping fluid, end quote.	9:23
	Ureter on left kidney shows several strictures	9:27
	and dilated segments.	9:31
	Surface vasculature of kidney.	9:35
	Major arterial supply with arcuate arteries.	9:39
	Renal pelvis.	9:45
	Tubular collecting system.	9:48
	Kidney in cross section.	9:52
	Bladder section shows muscular walls	9:56
	and ureters entering at base.	10:00
	Posterior muscle wall.	10:05
	Spermatic cord enters through fascia.	10:09
	Posterior of bladder with prostate on verso	10:17
	of previous flap, below,	10:21
	ligated rectum, above.	10:23
	Testis flap reveals tunica albuginea.	10:28
	Man, 25 years.	10:43
	Modesty flower covers genitalia.	10:46
	Surface vasculature of muscles.	11:08
	Large muscle groups,	11:14
	individual flaps for pectoral,	11:16
	intercostal with transversus,	11:18
	and intercostal with rectus.	11:21
	Two flaps for neck muscles and small flap for penis.	11:23
	Skeletal system with vasculature	11:42
	for left arm and leg superimposed.	11:44
	Handwriting visible underneath hand and foot.	11:51
	Celestial map.	12:08
	The celestial map of the southern hemisphere	12:11
	is centered on the Southern Ecliptical Pole.	12:14
	Most of the constellations can be traced to Ptolemy.	12:18
	Liver.	12:37
	Posterior surface of liver with handwriting visible below.	12:42
	Metrological Tables.	12:59
	The table of measures of length on the left	13:02
	should be used with the conversion table on the right.	13:05

Speaker	"The Four Seasons".	0:01
	"Fall.	0:03
	The same couple, 17 years older,	0:05
	and fully mature pose with their arms crossed	0:08
	and resting on each other's shoulder,	0:11
	with each hand holding a flask, behind the other's head.	0:13
	One flask is marked bilis flava, yellow bile or choler.	0:18
	The sun, and moon are present in their usual positions.	0:23
	The calendrical and zodiacal arches and the trees,	0:28
	a pomegranate and a grapevine, frame the man and the woman.	0:32
	A single stork carries the banner for Autumnus.	0:38
	This print is the most intricate of the set of four	0:43
	and has the greatest number of layers.	0:46
	Two volvelles, or concentric paper disks	0:49
	which rotate on a string pivot	0:53
	and are surrounded by graduated or figured circles,	0:55
	appear at the bottom of the print.	0:59
	The lunar aspectarium is positioned	1:01
	between the couple's legs.	1:04
	It was used to compute the position of the moon	1:06
	at the moment an illness began, called a decumbiture,	1:09
	in order to aid the physician in treatment.	1:14
	At the lower right is a pregnancy calendar	1:17
	whose purpose was to calculate the time	1:20
	from the presumed date of conception,	1:23
	in order to predict the critical dates of development	1:25
	for the fetus, up to the moment of birth.	1:29
	At the lower left is a disk representing the five senses.	1:32
	Plants and animals, a lion and an elephant,	1:38
	appropriate to the seasoned and geographic region,	1:41
	are represented in the background."	1:45
	(mouse clicking)	1:49
	"Arches.	2:20
	Counting from the top down,	2:22
	the arches record the stellar phases,	2:24
	signs of the Zodiac, a calendar scale,	2:27
	three types of months,	2:31
	and the motion of the moon for this season."	2:32
	(mouse clicking)	2:37
	"Sun.	3:01
	Sun covers dissected anatomy of the tongue.	3:07
	Surface of tongue with glottis."	3:14
	(mouse clicking)	3:17
	"Internal musculature demonstrated	3:22
	by four intricately folded flaps."	3:24
	(mouse clicking)	3:28
	"Moon.	3:47
	This moon, which has no flap to lift,	3:49
	is in the waxing crescent phase,	3:52
	and should have been reversed	3:55
	with the moon in Ver,	3:56
	which presents the waning crescent."	3:58
	(mouse clicking)	4:03
	"Stork.	4:05
	A Christian symbol for prudence and piety,	4:07
	the stork generally represents the affection,	4:10
	and care of children for their parents."	4:14
	(mouse clicking)	4:22
	"Pomegranate.	4:23
	The pomegranate is a symbol of potential fertility."	4:25
	(mouse clicking)	4:30
	"Grapevine.	4:53
	The vine laden with grapes reflects fertility realized."	4:55
	(mouse clicking)	5:01
	"Flask.	5:24
	One flask holds bilis flava, also known as choler	5:27
	or yellow bile, which rules hot and dry conditions."	5:31
	(mouse clicking)	5:37
	"Woman, 35 years.	5:52
	Flaps reveals of breast, gravid uterus, and genitalia.	5:56
	Surface vasculature of breast.	6:03
	Possible image of a crab,	6:08
	the astrological sign for Cancer, which rules the breast.	6:10
	Lactiferous ducks.	6:15
	Gravid uterus, relatively larger than life-size.	6:24
	Uterus in cross section below, with capsular decidua above.	6:31
	Amnion with fetal head showing through.	6:38
	Fetus.	6:43
	Posterior of fetus below interior of amnion above.	6:45
	12 fetal positions	6:52
	of which two are revealed underneath other positions."	6:54
	(mouse clicking)	7:00
	(mouse clicking)	7:15
	(mouse clicking)	7:59
	"Man, estimated 42 years old.	8:02
	Flaps cover three sections of the anatomy,	8:06
	chest, abdomen, and urogenital system.	8:10
	Beneath the lungs is concealed the heart.	8:18
	Chest cavity.	8:23
	The heart has flaps for the pericardium,	8:27
	the surface of the heart with coronary arteries,	8:30
	right and left ventricles without atria and valves,	8:34
	and posterior view of the pericardium."	8:37
	(mouse clicking)	8:41
	"Posterior of lungs above and open chest cavity below.	8:52
	Abdominal cavity lacking most of gastrointestinal tract,	9:00
	peritoneum overlaid by urogenital flaps."	9:06
	(mouse clicking)	9:10
	"Bladder and urethra above with prostate	9:22
	and spermatic cord below."	9:25
	(mouse clicking)	9:28
	"Mesentery with individual flaps for spleen	9:33
	and pancreas above, posterior view, bladder, prostate	9:36
	and seminal vesicles below.	9:41
	Retroperitoneal view with kidneys."	9:45
	(mouse clicking)	9:50
	"Five Senses.	10:13
	The geographic map of Africa now missing,	10:16
	probably covered the disk with the five senses,	10:19
	sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch,	10:22
	are each represented with appropriate symbols,	10:26
	in an outer circle.	10:29
	The inner circle represents the census communis	10:30
	or common sense.	10:33
	The spiral underneath the common sense represents memoria	10:38
	or memory.	10:42
	Handwriting visible underneath circle of senses."	10:44
	(mouse clicking)	10:48
	"Lunar Aspectarium.	11:27
	The lunar aspectarium rotates around a scale representing	11:30
	the zodiac.	11:33
	When the index pointer on the rim is set to the position	11:35
	of the moon at the moment an illness began,	11:38
	the central pointer can then be moved to the number	11:41
	of days that have elapsed since the decumbiture.	11:43
	As a result, all significant aspects are indicated	11:47
	and can be interpreted by the physician	11:51
	for use in the treatment of the patient.	11:53
	This flap which can not actually be viewed	11:58
	as a whole because of the string pivot,	12:00
	gives the physician information on qualities and humors	12:02
	and advice on various fevers in the examination of urine.	12:06
	Provides details on calculation of the childbed."	12:12
	(mouse clicking)	12:18
	"Pregnancy Calendar.	13:03
	By rotating the dial of the pregnancy calendar	13:06
	to the estimated date of conception,	13:08
	other critical dates in the development	13:11
	of the fetus are shown in the cutouts around the dial.	13:13
	The horoscope was drawn up for Marsilio Landriani,	13:21
	Bishop of Vigevano in Bologna Italy,	13:27
	on the 22nd of May 1605,	13:31
	to assist in the diagnosis and treatment	13:35
	of an illness he first suffered, in January of 1602.	13:37
	At any one time, only portions can be seen	13:43
	by lifting the edge of the covering volvelle	13:46
	which is anchored in the middle."	13:48
	(mouse clicking)	13:53

Instructor	The Four Seasons: Winter.	0:02
	In a departure from all the previous prints,	0:06
	the man has turned his back to the viewer	0:09
	and the woman in right profile	0:12
	is in the act of stepping down	0:15
	into a grave scattered with bones.	0:17
	Both hold flasks.	0:21
	The woman is discharging the contents of hers,	0:23
	which is identified as melancholia, or black bile.	0:26
	The sun and the moon are in their respective corners.	0:31
	Beneath the calendrical and zodiacal arches,	0:36
	a crane holds the banner for Hyems.	0:40
	An olive, or perhaps mistletoe,	0:44
	and a dormant, or dead, tree complete the frame.	0:47
	There are no animals in this print	0:52
	but four human figures in the background	0:54
	are engaged in a variety of domestic activities.	0:57
	The tobacco plant growing from behind the geographic map	1:01
	of the Americas, is out of season,	1:04
	but does reflect the connection with the New World.	1:07
	Only the man, the woman, and the map conceal further layers.	1:11
	Arches.	2:12
	Counting from the top down,	2:14
	the arches record the stellar phases,	2:15
	signs of the zodiac, a calendar scale,	2:18
	three types of months,	2:21
	and the motion of the moon for the season.	2:22
	The sun has no flap to lift.	2:52
	The moon, which has no flap to lift,	2:59
	is in the dark or new phase.	3:01
	Crane.	3:06
	The crane, carrying a stone, is a symbol of vigilance.	3:07
	The Trees of Winter.	3:14
	This tree has been interpreted as an olive	3:17
	or as mistletoe growing on a host tree, often an oak.	3:19
	Either would fit within the context of the print.	3:23
	Leaves of the olive tree were used	3:26
	before the advent of coffins	3:28
	as a bed as well as a cover for the dead in the grave.	3:30
	The mistletoe was used medicinally to alleviate the ills	3:34
	of old age.	3:37
	The leafless tree can be interpreted	3:38
	as either dead or deciduous.	3:40
	If the latter, the oak would be particularly apt.	3:43
	Often used for coffins, the oak was known	3:47
	as the tree of the dead.	3:50
	Its leaf galls were used to cure melancholia.	3:51
	Flask.	4:40
	One flask contains melancholia or black bile,	4:42
	which rules cold and humid conditions.	4:46
	Man.	5:01
	49 years.	5:02
	Full flap, posterior view, conceals successive layers	5:04
	of body systems.	5:08
	Verso of flap repeats an image	5:10
	from elsewhere in Hyems.	5:12
	Vascular system.	5:16
	Muscular system with small flaps	5:19
	for trapezius muscle	5:21
	of shoulder and neck and gluteus maximum muscle of buttock.	5:22
	Details of deeper muscle groups	5:28
	with multiple small flaps	5:30
	for muscles at base of skull,	5:31
	the cranium, deltoid muscle, and muscles along spine.	5:34
	Skeletal system with flaps for base of skull and scapula.	5:40
	Handwriting visible underneath left edge of skull.	5:44
	Woman: estimated 42 years.	7:11
	Right sagittal view	7:16
	with surface muscles conceals successive layers	7:18
	of vascular system.	7:21
	Verso of flap repeats an image from elsewhere in Hyems.	7:23
	Arterial system borrowed from male.	7:31
	Note spermatic vein and venous plexus from testicles.	7:34
	Handwriting visible on verso of paper used	7:40
	to repair neck of previous flap.	7:42
	Detail of vascular system of brain.	7:47
	Venous system on verso of previous flap.	7:52
	Handwriting visible underneath torso and small toe flap.	7:54
	Geographic Map.	9:11
	Map depicts North and South America,	9:14
	which corresponds with the figures	9:16
	of native peoples in the background.	9:18
	Verso of flap repeats an image	9:20
	from elsewhere in Hyems.	9:22
	Rectum.	9:48
	Handwriting visible underneath rectum.	9:52
	Grave.	10:02
	The bones are not relatively scaled.	10:04
	The lower jawbone appears the same size as a tooth.	10:07

Item Info

Title:

The Four Seasons

Date:

1600 to 1650

Description:

Contents: Ver (Spring) -- Aestas (Summer) -- Autumnus (Autumn) -- Hyems (Winter)
Binder's title.
Copperplate engravings.
In 2000, the History of Medicine Collections and Anthony Benson, formerly of the Division of Educational Medial Services at Duke University School of Medicine, produced an interactive version of The Four Seasons. This version was reprogrammed for the Web, with funds donated by John P. McGovern, MD. The interactive interface is no longer supported as it was created using Flash. The video here is a 5 part recording of the interactive online interface.

Subject:

Format: