Plowing 1932

Clare Leighton created this wood engraving titled "Plowing." A farmer and a team of horses work in the fields, with birds overhead; the cyclical return to the land is as old as civilization itself. Consider the horse, the noble animal, a symbol of power and virility, its presence harking back to ancient friezes and battle scenes where it represented triumph and strength. And yet, here, yoked to the plow, it becomes a symbol of labor, of humanity's dominion over nature. The birds, too, evoke a sense of freedom, contrasting with the toil below. We find them soaring in ancient Egyptian art, representing the soul's journey. This image resonates with a primal connection to the earth. It’s a reminder of the rhythms of life, death, and rebirth, deeply embedded in our collective memory, echoing through the ages. The emotional weight lies in the cyclical nature of life itself.