Composition Study with Figures Distributing Bread 1825 - 1882

Henri Lehmann created this drawing, “Composition Study with Figures Distributing Bread,” using pen and brown ink. The act of distributing bread immediately calls to mind the Christian sacrament of communion, a ritual of spiritual nourishment. Even earlier, in ancient Egypt, bread was a sacred offering, symbolizing life and sustenance for the living and the dead. Observe the angels in the upper register of the composition. The motif of angels holding texts or musical instruments goes back centuries. Consider the winged figures in Renaissance altarpieces, proclaiming divine messages. This image is a powerful force, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The imagery of bread-giving and angelic figures persists in the collective memory of Western culture. This symbol, with its deeply embedded cultural and emotional power, has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.