Hooiopper c. 1894 - 1895

Pieter Dupont’s etching captures a haystack, a symbol deeply embedded in the iconography of rural life. The haystack looms large, its form both sheltering and substantial, its thatched texture rich with detail. The haystack resonates with the ancient motif of the cornucopia, or ‘horn of plenty’, symbolizing abundance and nourishment. Throughout history, variations of this ‘container’ motif can be found, from the woven baskets of archaic fertility rituals to the granaries depicted in Egyptian tomb paintings. The haystack, too, embodies this concept of a vessel filled with life-sustaining provisions. Its presence evokes a sense of security, a promise of survival through harsh seasons. This image touches on a primal level, tapping into our collective memory of the fundamental need for shelter and sustenance.