Gethyllis ciliaris (Koekemakranka) Possibly 1777 - 1786

This is Robert Jacob Gordon’s botanical illustration of the Gethyllis ciliaris, or Koekemakranka, made in the late 18th century. The white flower, labeled ‘A,’ speaks to purity, while the more suggestive form next to it, labeled ‘B’ has its own tale to tell. Note the bulbous form, echoing similar shapes in ancient Minoan fertility figures. The bulb, a symbol of potential and regeneration, stretches back millennia, appearing in the cult of Demeter where votive bulbs were offered for a bountiful harvest, and continues to resonate in our collective unconscious. We see this same motif in the Renaissance, re-emerging in Arcimboldo's vegetable portraits, and even later in Surrealist works where organic shapes challenge our perceptions. Here, in Gordon’s illustration, the bulb and the nascent flower it bears carry an emotional charge. It stirs something primal within us, reminding us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth that resonates across cultures and time.