The Statue of Ceres 

Peter Paul Rubens painted this depiction of Ceres surrounded by putti. Note the cornucopia overflowing with nature’s bounty, a powerful symbol associated with Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility, and abundance. The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, stretches back to ancient Greece and the myth of Amalthea, the goat whose horn provided endless nourishment to the infant Zeus. We see the cornucopia again and again in different forms, for example in Medieval tapestries where it symbolizes the paradise of Eden. Consider the psychological impact of this symbol: the desire for unending sustenance, a deep-seated human longing for plenty in a world often marked by scarcity. Observe how Rubens infuses this classical image with life, his fleshy cherubs evoking a sense of burgeoning growth, an almost pagan vitality. The cornucopia and its message of abundance, fertility, and the cyclical rhythms of nature continue to resonate with us today.