February was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar, says Wikipedia.
January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period. They were added by Numa Pompilius about 700 BCE.
The illustration is from the The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry). It is a richly decorated Book of Hours (containing prayers to be said by the lay faithful at each of the canonical hours of the day) commissioned by Jean, Duc de Berry around 1410, says Wikipedia.
It is probably the most important illuminated manuscript of the 15th century, "le roi des manuscrits enluminés" ("the king of illuminated manuscripts"). The Très Riches Heures consists of 416 pages, including 131 with large miniatures and many more with border decorations or historiated initials, that are among the high points of International Gothic painting in spite of their small size.
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