Hunt of Maximilian, February, Louvre, Bernard van Orley, March 1531

“february” is an allegorical tribute to the hunt: to the left in a niche is a statue of diana, the goddess of hunting, with her greyhound. Below her are the fictional heroes of a fifteenth century book on hunting, king modus and queen ratio who trample sloth and gluttony, thus celebrating the moral virtues of hunting. Date: March 1531. Medium: tapestry. Collection: Louvre Museum.