An elderly winged man with a long beard walking with crutches, possibly representing Time gesturing towards a young child holding a sieve 1505 - 1515

This engraving, made by Marcantonio Raimondi around the early 16th century, presents us with Time, an elderly winged man, gesturing towards a child holding a sieve. Time, often depicted with wings to denote his swift passage, points toward the child, a representation of innocence and potential. The sieve, held by the child, is a complex symbol. Historically, it represents discernment, the ability to sift truth from falsehood. Yet, in the hands of a child, it suggests the futility of such efforts or perhaps the purity that has yet to discern. This echoes in earlier art, such as Bosch’s depictions of folly, where objects take on ironic tones. Consider how the motif of winged figures carries a heavy cultural weight. In antiquity, wings signified divinity and transcendence, a symbol passed down through religious art. The sieve as a symbol shifts across contexts— appearing in folklore, in religious parables, each time accumulating new layers of meaning. There is a powerful psychological element at play. The image evokes a deep subconscious awareness of mortality and the fleeting nature of time. It reminds us that time marches forward, but not in a linear fashion, rather the symbols of time will continue to resurface and evolve in different contexts.