November

This realistic scene, which might have taken place on any of the duke's estates in western France, is entirely the work of Jean Colombe. He does full justice to the stocky French peasants and the vibrant colors of late autumn. Here a swineherd hurls his heavy stick into the branches of oak trees to bring down a shower of acorns for his hogs. The long-snouted swine which resemble their remote ancestor, the wild pig, have to forage for themselves in the forest. Fattened on fall harvest of nuts, they will be slaughtered and salted down for the duke's staple winter fare.