Night c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Giovanni Girolamo Frezza’s “Night,” undated, at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an intriguing image, and I immediately notice the owl, a traditional symbol of wisdom, perched near the winged figure of Night. What other symbolic meanings are at play here? Curator: The prevalence of the owl indeed keys us into nocturnal wisdom. But consider also Night as a maternal figure, cradling the twins Sleep and Death, an ancient theme. Note the stars overhead; night is not merely absence of light, but a domain of celestial wonder, mirroring our inner cosmos. Editor: So the comfort and the terror of the night, side by side? Curator: Precisely. It reminds us how deeply intertwined these concepts have been in our cultural imagination. Night is a container for both dreams and the unknown. Editor: I hadn't considered the dual nature of these symbols. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. It's in these visual echoes across time that art truly speaks.