Plate 3: The Age of Gold (Aetas aurea), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Antonio Tempesta etched this image from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses', titled 'The Age of Gold'. It depicts a peaceful world, a classical vision of paradise populated by nude figures coexisting with animals. Note the recurring motif of the 'hand reaching', a gesture laden with primal significance. Here, it appears as a man plucking fruit, reminiscent of the story of the fall of man. Consider how this echoes through art history: from Michelangelo's 'Creation of Adam', to countless depictions of Eve offering the apple, the extended hand is forever associated with transgression and the loss of innocence. The recurring appearance of this motif speaks to a collective memory, a subconscious understanding of humanity's fallibility. It’s a powerful, almost instinctual, recognition of the moment when paradise is lost, engaging us on a profound emotional level. The image of the reaching hand continues to resurface, evolving and adapting, carrying with it echoes of both hope and despair across centuries.