Saturn c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Saturn" by Theodor de Bry. It’s an engraving, and there’s something unsettling about the figure of Saturn himself. What strikes you most when you look at this artwork? Curator: Notice the symbols – the child, the scythe, the flowing water. Saturn, in myth, devoured his children, fearing they'd usurp him. Water represents purification and change. De Bry uses these potent symbols to evoke the anxieties of time and power. The image echoes a cultural memory of cyclical destruction and renewal. How does it speak to you? Editor: I see the cycle, the fear, but also the enduring quality of myth itself. Thanks for the insight. Curator: Indeed. Symbols are vessels. They continue to speak across time.