Father Time is apersonification oftime. In recent centuries, he is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, sometimes withwings, dressed in a robe and carrying ascythe and anhourglass or other timekeeping device.
As an image, the origins of "Father Time" are varied.[1] The ancient Greeks themselves began to associateChronosProtogenos with the godCronos, who had the attribute of a harvester'ssickle. The Romans equated Cronos withSaturn, who also had a sickle, and was treated as an old man, often with a crutch. The wings and hourglass were early Renaissance additions and he eventually became a companion ofthe Grim Reaper, personification of Death, often taking his scythe. He may have as an attribute asnake with its tail in its mouth, an ancient Egyptian symbol of eternity.[2]
Father Time on an Irish memorial stone, displaying an empty hourglass to a mourningwidow
AroundNew Year's Eve, the media (in particulareditorial cartoons) use the convenienttrope[3] of Father Time as the personification of the previous year (or "the Old Year") who typically "hands over" the duties of time to the equally allegoricalBaby New Year (or "the New Year") or who otherwise characterizes the preceding year.[4][5] In these depictions, Father Time is usually depicted wearing a sash with the old year's date on it.
Time (in his allegorical form) is often depicted revealing or unveiling the allegorical Truth, sometimes at the expense of a personification of Falsehood, Fraud, or Envy. This theme is related to the idea ofveritas filia temporis (Time is the father of Truth).
Father Time is an established symbol in numerous cultures and appears in a variety of art and media. In some cases, they appear specifically as Father Time while in other cases they may have another name (such asSaturn), but the characters demonstrate the attributes which Father Time has acquired over the centuries.
Time Vanquished by Love, Hope & Beauty, a 1627 painting bySimon Vouet, features Saturn in his incarnation as Father Time as the central figure,Prado Madrid.[7]
Time Hunting Envy and Discovering Truth, an eighteenth-century fresco by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo at the Villa Loschi-Zileri outside ofVicenza, Italy.
An old statue of Father Time sits on the grounds atSandringham Estate in Norfolk, England.
A clock featuring Father Time, created by Guéret Frêres, Atelier Cartier, and Vincenti et Cie, may be viewed in theMetropolitan Museum of Art.[18] The museum also owns a drawing that is a study for a similar clock.[19]
Old Father Time appears in the fantasy novel seriesNightside bySimon R. Green, as an elderly character tending to peoples' needs for time travel—and in some cases—guidance.
Father Time appears in the fairy tale themed short story, written byL. Frank Baum. Entitled "The Capture of Father Time". That Father Time was captured by the son of an Arizonian cowboy named Jim because of his foolishness.
Time is one of theIncarnations of Immortality inPiers Anthony's series of the same name. Time (also referred to as "Chronos") appears in several of the books and is the main character ofBearing an Hourglass. For most of the series he appears as a middle-aged man in a blue robe (which has the power to age to oblivion anything which attacks him) and bearing an hourglass which he can use to control the flow of time and move through both time and space.
InMitch Albom's bookThe Time Keeper, Dor, the central character, is Father Time. He is freed from exile and sent to Earth on the condition that he teaches two people on Earth the true importance of time, a teenage girl who does not wish to live anymore, and a dying old billionaire who wishes to live forever.
"Little Father Time" is a character inJude the Obscure, a novel byThomas Hardy. The name is given to Jude Fawley's son, who is dreadfully melancholy and who commits suicide and kills his siblings at a young age.
In Lewis Carroll'sAlice's Adventures in Wonderland, he is referred to as Time and is responsible for making theHatter and his friends to have an endless tea party as punishment.
Father Time made numerous appearances in the classic comicLittle Nemo in Slumberland, both as a general representation of time and as a symbol of the new year.[21][22]
Father Time is a recurring character in Tatsuya Ishida's webcomicSinfest, often appearing as an infant immediately on or after the Western New Year, and as an old man fated to die during the end of the year.
Father Time appears inNeil Gaiman's graphic novelThe Sandman: Overture, depicted as father to theEndless – seven embodiments of natural forces – through marriage to MotherNight.
Father Time appears as a recurring character inThe Smurfs voiced byAlan Oppenheimer. His workshop is depicted as being underground. Father Time's Reverse Clock was responsible for turning Nat, Snappy, and Slouchy into Smurflings and he can't undo the transformation because of how time works.
Father Time appears as one of the main characters inHisteria! voiced byFrank Welker.
Father Time appeared inThe Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy episode "The Halls of Time" voiced again by Alan Oppenheimer. He's inspired by the aforementionedRudolph's Shiny New Year portrayal as he too works with a baby that represents Happy New Year.
Father Time appeared inRegular Show episode called "It's Time" voiced by Alan Sklar. He appears to be made out of clocks and wears a purple hat.
A song in the animated version ofCharlotte's Web is titled "Mother Earth and Father Time".
Father Time (The Sage of Time) is the leader of theTapestry of Nations parade atEpcot during the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration.
A ghost inDanny Phantom is similar to Father Time and is named Clockwork (voiced byDavid Carradine). He is known as the master of time and is depicted as a child, young man, and old man in a constantly changing cycle. Clockwork also has a variety of timekeeping devices on his person, and wields a staff that can be transformed into a scythe. He first appeared in the special episode "The Ultimate Enemy".
Father Time appeared in a version ofYooHoo & Friends produced byDavid Feiss where he is voiced by rapperFlavor Flav). He was depicted as a blue Viking-like ogre who had transformed five business executives into cute animals.
Media related toFather Time at Wikimedia Commons