Figuur met groot wijnglas 1923

Erich Wichmann created this drawing of a figure with a wine glass in 1923. The wine glass, a symbol of celebration and communion, here appears oversized, almost overwhelming the figure. This motif echoes through art history, from classical bacchanals to modern banquets. Consider the chalice in religious art, transformed into a symbol of spiritual nourishment, or the communal cup in secular feasts. The act of drinking together can be traced back to ancient rituals. Over time, drinking from a cup has become a signifier of community and shared experience. But there is a darker element here as well, a sense of imbalance and the potential for excess. This tension, this interplay of joy and sorrow, is part of the symbol’s enduring power. It resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.