THE CAPITALS OF THE CLOISTER OF SANTA MARÍA LA REAL DE NIEVA
East Gallery

Trades of the common people. January is represented with a scene that takes place around a fire that heats a cauldron hanging from a hook. On both sides of the fire two men, an old man sitting and a young man standing. The first represents the year that ends and the young person the year that begins.

The agricultural calendar is made up of a set of capitals that represent the twelve months of the year with the tasks carried out in the field throughout the year. They are scenes of the everyday life of the common people: peasants, cattle ranchers, small artisans, whose work depended on the seasons of the year. The work of the land refers to daily life, in which the salvation of man is decided by his works. The month of February refers to the artisan works represented in the shoemaker's trade.

March is represented by a man pruning a vine with a pruning knife. Pruning the vine is a task that limits its natural growth and improves the quality of the grapes. At his side, on the very face of the capital, a young courtier, well dressed and on horseback, carries a bouquet of flowers in one hand, with the other holding the reins. This scene represents spring, the month of April, when nature regenerates and the earth shows its fertility.

Trades of the common people. January is represented with a scene that takes place around a fire that heats a cauldron hanging from a hook. On both sides of the fire two men, an old man sitting and a young man standing. The first represents the year that ends and the young person the year that begins.