Art Institute of Chicago

The Triumph of Time, plate four from The Triumphs of Petrarch

Georg Pencz

Date

c. 1539

Medium

Engraving in black on ivory laid paper

Culture

Germany

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Barely upright, swaying on crutches as he is paraded forward, Pencz’s figure of Time clearly suffers from the ill effects of aging: the hourglass is running out, and the wheels of his chariot are clock dials counting down to Death. While adults have reason to be particularly concerned by Time’s relentless march, even children push younger infants in rolling walkers in an attempt to avoid the inevitable.

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