Vader Tijd met spiegel 1702 - 1767

This is Jacob Folkema’s etching, "Father Time with Mirror". At its core, the artwork is about time and self-awareness. Father Time holds up a mirror, not to reflect our present, but to reveal a hidden truth. The mirror motif, an ancient symbol of introspection and truth, encourages us to look beyond the surface. We see the mirror re-emerging throughout art history, from Renaissance vanitas paintings to contemporary works. The figure pointing, like the mirror, appears in different forms across many eras, guiding our gaze, inviting us to look, reflect, and understand. Here, the pointing figure directs our attention, urging us to confront our mortality. The cyclical nature of time and the recurring symbols across cultures reveal our shared human experience, a collective memory of sorts, reminding us of the eternal dance between past, present, and future. The visual language connects us to previous generations and reminds us that we are part of an unbroken chain of being.