Cactus, Zurich Botanic Garden 1941 - 1945

Robert Frank captured this photograph of a cactus in Zurich's Botanic Garden. The spiky plant presents a duality: a symbol of resilience and defense, yet also of hidden beauty. The cactus, with its thorns, is a visual echo of the crown of thorns, associated with the Passion of Christ. Its endurance mirrors the symbolic immortality found in ancient Egyptian art, where the desert was both a place of death and of eternal life. Consider the recurring motif of thorny plants in art history—from Renaissance paintings to modern works. The thorns evoke both protection and pain, speaking to our deepest subconscious associations of safety and danger. The cactus survives, a testament to nature's power to adapt and endure.