Jug c. 1938

This is a drawing by Yolande Delasser, featuring a jug and a bird. The jug, a vessel of containment and nourishment, has been a recurring motif throughout art history, often symbolizing domesticity, plenty, and even the sacred feminine, harking back to ancient fertility rituals. Note how the image of a bird is juxtaposed with that of the jug. Since antiquity, the bird has been a symbol of freedom, spirit, and the celestial realm. Yet, its earth-toned plumage suggests a grounded, almost domestic quality. One can see how the bird is commonly featured on ancient Minoan frescoes, where it embodies divine messages and natural cycles, it becomes a symbol deeply embedded in our collective psyche. Perhaps Delasser is alluding to the cyclical nature of life and art itself—how symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, echoing through the corridors of time.