Hendrick Goltzius

Warrior and Drinker, Mars and Bacchus represent two types of man and two different seasons, as indicated by the signs of the zodiac in each print. Aries (the Ram), usually March 21 to April 19, accompanies the warrior, Mars. The ancient Romans named the month of March for Mars, and started their military campaign season on March 1. Scorpio, usually October 23 to November 21, encompasses the harvest, especially the grape harvest, the time of Bacchus. Goltzius printed the earliest impressions of these images in tan, green, and black; followed by those in ochre, brown, and black; before the last impressions in three shades of brown.