De vier tijden van de dag

In an interior lit by candles, a group of elegantly dressed figures enjoys a meal accompanied by a lutenist and a man pouring wine. In the upper right corner, an inset scene shows the goddess Luna reclining in the clouds above a park where couples walk at night. The scene captures the transition from labor to leisure and the intimate atmosphere associated with the coming of night.

This print belongs to a series on the four times of day, a popular theme in the Haarlem Mannerist circle that explores the relationship between the celestial order and human activities. It reflects the Neoplatonic concept of the microcosm and macrocosm, where the movements of the planets (represented by Luna and the evening star Hesperus) govern the biological and social rhythms of humanity.