Saturn 1566 - 1569

This 16th-century engraving by Harmen Jansz. Muller depicts Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, time, and destruction. In the top half of the image, Saturn sits in a chariot pulled by winged creatures. His chariot is surrounded by clouds, symbolic of his influence over the heavens. Below, a scene unfolds of a group of people suffering from various maladies, alluding to the afflictions associated with the planet Saturn. This artwork exemplifies the complex relationship between astrology and art during the Renaissance.