The "4 Ages of Man" Folio

[MarcoP]

I think f85r2 should be considered jointly with f86v4, which appears to be of the same "story" - here we have Moon in the centre, and also four guys holding various objects.

Hence, I think it unlikely that the figures represent seasons or ages. Or, rather, the question should be: if the "sunny" figures represent seasons or ages, then what do the "moony" figures stand for?

Hi Anton, I find it difficult to say if an idea is likely or unlikely in absolute terms. I prefer comparing different ideas, provisionally choosing the one that seems to explain the greatest number of elements.

The two diagrams f85r2 and f86v4 have different central subjects (the Sun and the Moon) and the four figures hold different objects. The objects (attributes) held by figures in this kind of allegories often are the only things that differentiate a "guy" from the others. If the objects are different, the intended subjects are typically different as well. In my opinion, the assumption that the two diagrams tell the same story is justified only if it leads to a better explanation for the two diagrams.