Six Designs for the Decoration of Rectangular and Horizontal reliefs 1762 - 1844

Giuseppe Bernardino Bison rendered these six relief designs on paper with pen and gray wash. The drawings are full of symbolic connections to ancient art and mythology. Notice the motif of the vessel. It appears in multiple designs, each evoking classical forms of antiquity. The vessel, used for libations and offerings, is a sign of purification. This harkens back to ancient Greek vases which were used in religious ceremonies and also served as grave markers, linking the earthly and spiritual realms. Consider its transformation through time, from ancient libation bowls to the Holy Grail of Arthurian legend. It has always been a vessel of the sacred, a container of life, death, and rebirth. Here, Bison taps into our collective memory, stirring deep-seated emotions and connecting us to the eternal cycle of human experience.