Bumbery Blads and Cie, Plastic Poses 1907

Moriz Jung created this print, "Bumbery Blads and Cie, Plastic Poses," which presents the human body stripped to its essential forms. The stylized figures are adorned with concentric circles which mark their breasts, buttocks, and the soles of their feet. These circles, like ancient glyphs, carry a primal weight. Echoes of such shapes resonate throughout art history—from the sun disks of ancient Egyptian iconography to the halos of Renaissance saints. Here, they are secularized, almost diagrammatic. Yet, they still evoke a sense of energy, radiating outward. Consider how the spiral, a form deeply embedded in the human psyche, appears in nature and art across cultures: It represents growth, expansion, and the cyclical nature of existence. These figures in their stripped-down state, possess a psychological charge, a raw expression of human form and energy. They tap into our collective memory, reminding us of our shared origins. The act of observing them becomes a dialogue across time, a silent conversation with those who, like us, sought to capture the essence of being. These symbols are not static; they evolve, resurface, and are continually reinterpreted, weaving a complex tapestry of meaning across the ages.