Panel from a Series of Rural Scenes: Bathing and Slaughter

Hans Wertinger was a Bavarian painter and illuminator of the late 15th and early 16th century who produced calendar illustrations and rural genre scenes before the Baroque period proper. This panel depicting rural scenes — bathing and slaughter — belongs to a tradition of illustrating the months and seasons through peasant activities, a format with medieval roots that continued into the 16th century. The work straddles the border between the Late Gothic and the emerging Baroque era.

Wertinger depicts rural laborers in their seasonal activities across a landscape with architectural elements. The handling reflects his pre-Baroque training — more linear than painterly, with a native Bavarian flavor distinct from Italian or Flemish influence — combined with an earthy, documentary interest in actual rural practice.