jim henson

I first saw this painting in the National Gallery in Washington, DC when I was in High School and was mesmerized by it (and by the other 2 in the series).  It was breathtaking to view in person, and the symbolism was so apt, even to my inexperienced eyes.

Thomas Cole's The Voyage of Life: Childhood (detail immediately above) is rich in symbolism.  The little child travels in a golden boat protected by numerous golden angels that make up the boat itself, and a guardian angel that glows with heavenly light.

He is secure in his delight at the lush vegetation within the boat and the serene landscape that surrounds him, unaware of the hourglass carried by the golden angelic figurehead representing the inevitable passage of time.