The month of May is depicted here as an aristocratic procession in a spring landscape. Noblemen and noblewomen ride on horseback, dressed in rich green and blue robes, decorated with leaf motifs that refer to the renewal of nature. Two dogs run beneath the horses, giving court life a homely touch. Above them is a semicircular sky with stars and signs of the zodiac, typical of calendar pages. The background shows an ideal Gothic palace landscape. The scene emphasises not labour, but court culture: May is the month of love, celebration and courtly rituals. The Limbourg brothers excel in textile details, colour harmony and refined facial expressions. Their miniatures are windows into the life of the elite around 1400, but also symbolic images of the seasons. The combination of realistic horse movements and almost fairy-tale architecture makes this work a highlight of international Gothic art.
