'Tempus omnia manifestat': Allegory of Art and Knowledge 1677 - 1763

Johann Melchior Füssli created "Tempus omnia manifestat: Allegory of Art and Knowledge" using pen and gray ink with gray wash. The artwork depicts a scene dominated by allegorical figures rendered in dynamic poses. The figures are framed within a composition that seems to be in constant flux. The monochromatic palette and the delicate application of wash create a sense of dramatic chiaroscuro. The figures destabilize established meanings through their symbolic representation of time, knowledge, and artistic revelation. The image may reflect broader artistic and philosophical concerns about the nature of truth, as an unveiling of knowledge over time. The semiotic system employed here uses recognizable symbols—such as Father Time, putti, and the unveiling of a female nude. These can be interpreted as the cultural codes which would have informed the artwork's making and reception. Note how the strategic use of line and shadow brings not only an aesthetic balance but also invites us to consider the unfolding narratives of enlightenment and discovery. It suggests that art is a continuous process of uncovering and re-interpreting the world around us.