Ontwerp voor vignet voor catalogus van uitgeverij H.J. Poutsma 1878 - 1938

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst designed this vignette for the publisher H.J. Poutsma. A reclining woman reaches for grapes, while below, a figure toils with a spade. Consider the grape, symbol of both earthly pleasure and spiritual communion. In antiquity, Bacchus, god of wine, embodies ecstatic release. Yet, Christian iconography transforms the grape into the Eucharist, the blood of Christ. Observe the laborer. This figure reminds me of the myth of human toil. The symbolism of the worker reflects the sweat of one's brow, and the endless cycle of sowing and reaping. This imagery speaks to the deeply embedded human experience of labor as both a curse and a means of sustenance. The emotional power of these archetypes lies in their ability to resonate across time. These symbols connect us to the collective human experience, a recurring dance of desire, toil, and transformation, forever imprinted in our cultural memory.