Klok en twee kandelaren 1873 - 1878

This print by Paul Joseph Nicolas Nestor Schaffers depicts a clock flanked by two candelabras. Here, the clock is adorned with figures, evoking the allegorical representation of Time, a motif with roots stretching back to antiquity. The clock, of course, marks the relentless, linear march of time, but its artistic embellishments hint at something more cyclical. Consider how such motifs—figures of winged victories, cherubic forms—reappear across different epochs. We see echoes of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, reborn in neoclassical forms, demonstrating how the human psyche grapples with themes of time, memory, and mortality. The inclusion of cherubic figures can be traced from pagan imagery to Christian art, a continuous thread of subconscious longing for innocence, protection, and divine guidance. These figures, embodying innocence and purity, engage with a viewer on a level that transcends mere aesthetic appreciation, tapping into deeply ingrained emotional responses. This image, therefore, becomes a testament to the cyclical nature of symbols, a journey through time where motifs are continuously reinterpreted, each iteration subtly altered by the cultural and psychological landscape in which it re-emerges.