The Age of Silver 1606

Curator: This etching, titled "The Age of Silver," was created by Antonio Tempesta, who lived from 1555 to 1630. It’s part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is a rustic calm—everyone seems to be diligently working the land, a simple harmony depicted in those fine lines. Curator: It represents a stage in the classical "ages of man" narrative, showcasing the move from a golden, carefree existence to one requiring labor and agriculture. See how everyone is working? Editor: I do, and yet, there's something strangely innocent about it, like watching children play at being farmers. The etching's small scale adds to that sense of contained, manageable simplicity. Curator: The print circulated widely and influenced understandings of societal development through images of labor and communal life, shaping how people saw their place in history. Editor: So, it's not just pretty pictures; it’s about power, perception, and maybe even propaganda disguised as pastoral scenes. Makes you wonder what stories our own art tells.