Academy c. 1860s

This print by Jules de Goncourt shows an idealized nude male figure seated and holding aloft a libation vessel. The raised cup is rich with symbolism dating back to antiquity. We see the offering gesture repeated through time: consider libation scenes in ancient Greek and Roman art, a ritual offering to the gods, symbolizing piety and connection with the divine. Its echo appears in Renaissance paintings, and even in contemporary art and cinema, where the act of raising a glass signifies celebration, remembrance, or a solemn toast. This motif is endlessly mutable. Like the serpent or the labyrinth, it is embedded in the human psyche. We are subconsciously drawn to these primordial gestures, and their emotional power is rooted in our shared cultural memory. Each repetition reinvents the gesture, adding layers of meaning to a symbol that continues to resonate.