An Allegory of Time 1837

Curator: Immediately, I feel this sense of fleeting dread, like sand slipping through fingers. It's unsettling, yet beautiful. Editor: It's a drawing by Pierre-Jean David d'Angers, titled "An Allegory of Time," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It certainly evokes a feeling. Curator: The allegorical figure looming over the children feels protective, but also… spectral. The sketchiness adds to the ephemerality. Is it cradling or casting them into the future? Editor: I think it speaks to the precariousness of childhood innocence within historical forces. The figure of Time could be interpreted as the weight of tradition or even the burden of inherited trauma. Curator: Perhaps the artist is musing on the legacy we leave—our creations, our failures, passed down, shaping what comes next. It's a poignant reminder that we're all part of something much larger, and yet incredibly fragile. Editor: Agreed. It's a powerful visualization of time's relentless march and the responsibility we have to the next generation. It's hard not to feel a sense of duty looking at this piece.