Vadertje Tijd 1680 - 1726

Johannes Glauber created this image, "Vadertje Tijd", in the Netherlands, sometime between 1662 and 1726, using etching. The image shows Father Time looming over several animals, all of whom appear to be suffering. Here, Time is not a benevolent figure; it is the grim reaper. The latin phrase “Sic omnia Ruunt” means "thus all things rush headlong to destruction.” This print encapsulates a northern European fascination with morality. During this period, the Dutch Republic experienced its Golden Age, marked by unprecedented economic growth and cultural flourishing, but with this came anxieties about decadence and the fleeting nature of earthly achievements. Glauber may have meant for this print to serve as a visual warning against complacency and earthly pleasures. The image asks us to reflect on our own place in time. To understand Glauber’s work more fully, we can study the prints and popular visual culture of the Dutch Golden Age. This will help us appreciate the social and institutional contexts that shaped its creation and reception.