Personificatie van de nacht 1649

Matthias van Sommer’s “Personificatie van de nacht” (1649) is an etching depicting the personification of night. The work presents a woman, likely a goddess, holding a torch and a trident. The image, despite its small dimensions, evokes a sense of grandeur, portraying a powerful figure commanding the darkness. The inscription, "NOX," reinforces the subject of the work, while the inscription, "NACHT," is a Dutch translation of the Latin word. This allegorical representation of night is a popular subject in art history, often used to explore themes of darkness, mystery, and the passage of time.