Allegory of History, with Time 1761

Editor: So, here we have Vittorio Maria Bigari's "Allegory of History, with Time," a drawing from 1761. The charcoal against that toned paper is just gorgeous. It’s giving me very serious Baroque vibes... kind of weighty and dramatic. What are some of the symbols that stand out to you? Curator: Well, immediately my eye is drawn to the figure of Time, the older, bearded man with the scythe. Consider that he’s almost always presented with wings: an ambiguous nod to destruction and also swiftness, his unyielding flight forward. He carries an hourglass resting near his foot – perhaps life running out as fast as sand can pour – a grim reminder, eh? How do you see Time interacting with the winged woman writing history? Editor: I think she represents Fame, maybe? Because the banner behind her says, "Dat vitam et gloriam" – gives life and glory. So, she's recording, bestowing a kind of immortality through the written word? Curator: Exactly! And notice how history isn’t simply about recording; it's about bestowing "life and glory.” Think of the loaded meaning there. The artist implies that what survives is what we choose to remember, and *how* we choose to remember it. Bigari also uses an empty page… so many possibilities. And those books on the left side -- a repository of past accounts? How are these past texts, combined with new mark-making, changing narratives across centuries? Editor: I see it now. So it's like, history isn't just *facts*, it’s an *interpretation* – constructed by the powerful and, in turn, constructs us. That blank page is potential but it also shows we have much more work to do to get closer to an inclusive recording. Curator: Indeed, a blank page serves as an ongoing question -- inviting the next scribe to add their brushstroke, altering memory continuously through their selection of narratives. What will future witnesses document that’s deemed glorifiable? That is one powerful element to carry home with you. Editor: This piece is dense, but seeing those layered meanings...I won't forget it.