Fioringras before 1893

Willem Wenckebach rendered this ‘Fioringras’ drawing with ink and graphite. The seemingly simple image of foxtail millet is rich with cultural resonance. Throughout history, grains have been more than mere sustenance; they are emblems of life, death, and resurrection. The millet depicted here echoes ancient fertility symbols, reminiscent of offerings to gods for bountiful harvests. Consider the ‘corn mother’ figures of ancient harvest rituals, where grain represents the cyclical nature of life. Similarly, in some Christian traditions, grain symbolizes spiritual nourishment and resurrection. Though Wenckebach’s drawing is not overtly religious, the presence of grain subtly evokes these deeply embedded associations. This echoes in van Gogh’s wheat fields, or Millet's 'Gleaners' depicting similar themes of labor and the land. These depictions of grain remind us of primal human connections to the earth, engaging viewers on a subconscious level with ancestral narratives.