Saturn 1566 - 1569

Harmen Jansz. Muller engraved this image of Saturn, illustrating the god's influence on human life. Here, Saturn, a classical god associated with time, melancholy, and agriculture, rides his chariot in the sky, pulled by hybrid creatures. Below, we see scenes of hardship, illness, imprisonment, and death – the manifestations of Saturn's somber dominion. Consider the figure of Saturn: Cronus in Greek mythology, who devoured his own children, symbolizing time's relentless consumption. This motif of consuming one's offspring echoes through history, appearing in various forms to represent anxieties about inheritance and legacy. The enduring presence of Saturn in art reflects a deep-seated cultural preoccupation with mortality and the passage of time. The image's power lies in its capacity to evoke primal fears. These fears engage the viewer on a subconscious level. This cyclical reappearance demonstrates the non-linear progression of symbols, evolving across time and cultures, and perpetually resurfacing with renewed relevance.