Night Protecting Sleeping Time from the Last Rays of the Sun 1544

Antonio Fantuzzi's "Night Protecting Sleeping Time from the Last Rays of the Sun" is an etching created in 1544. The print depicts a fantastical scene where a winged figure, Night, shields the slumbering figure of Time from the sun's rays. This allegorical composition is typical of Renaissance art, employing symbolic figures to represent abstract concepts. Fantuzzi's detailed rendering of the figures and their interaction conveys a sense of drama and movement, highlighting the contrast between light and darkness. This artwork, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides a glimpse into the artistic practices and thematic preoccupations of the 16th century.