De Tijd knielt voor een handwerkster bij een weefgetouw 1675 - 1680

This etching, by Gerard de Lairesse, features Chronos, kneeling and offering an hourglass to a weaver, observed by Minerva, goddess of wisdom and crafts. The hourglass, often paired with Chronos, symbolizes the relentless passage of time, a universal awareness. This image strikes me due to the positioning of Chronos who is seen kneeling, his scythe discarded, before the weaver's loom. The gesture of offering the hourglass is heavy with meaning. It connects to a long tradition where time is seen as both destructive and creative. The offering of time to the weaver suggests that time, though fleeting, is essential for creation and craftsmanship. The act of kneeling is also very telling. It speaks to a deeper psychological reverence for the creative process. Consider how this scene, with its subdued yet powerful gestures, engages our subconscious understanding of time and creation, linking us to ages past when artisans held revered positions. The symbols here create an emotional link to the timeless human endeavor of weaving and crafting. The symbols here create an emotional link to the timeless human endeavor of weaving and crafting.