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Chronico - XXXII of Mantegna Tarot

Chronico - XXXII

Genius of Time

Chronico is the spirit of time, clearly pointing to the Greek Chronos. Unlike the more familiar picture of Chronos as an old man with hourglass and scythe, Chronico is a young man holding an Ouroborous in his hand, a winged dragon biting its tail.

This is really a more uplifting conception - while old age, hourglass and scythe hint at the transience of time, the Ouroborous as a symbol of recreation shows the infinity of time - or rather the cyclicality of a thing constantly recreating itself. Yet the Ouroborous stands for self-reflection as well, and together with the rather melancholic look of Chronico it becomes clear that the infinity of time is not for humans.



Next card: XXXIII Cosmico, Genius of the World