Night Protecting Sleeping Time from the Last Rays of the Sun 1544

Antonio Fantuzzi etched "Night Protecting Sleeping Time from the Last Rays of the Sun" around 1544. Notice the sun's rays on the left, warded off by a figure of Night, her arm raised in defense. Sleep, a vulnerable, reclining figure, is sheltered by her. This motif of Night protecting Sleep echoes through time. Consider classical depictions of Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, often accompanied by Nyx, the goddess of night. Yet, the protective gesture is not unique to this context. We see similar poses of guardianship in images of the Madonna sheltering the Christ Child. Here, Night’s gesture is not merely defensive; it is maternal, nurturing. The subconscious association of darkness with safety, a return to the womb, resonates deeply. This engraving, with its interplay of light and shadow, conscious and unconscious, evokes primal emotions.