Mand met vruchten 1767 - 1780

Bernhard Schreuder created this image of a fruit basket using an etching technique. The piece features a cornucopia of fruit, with grapes being the prominent symbol. Grapes have ancient ties to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, ecstasy, and fertility. The motif appears in countless works, from Roman mosaics depicting bacchanals to Renaissance paintings of festive gatherings. One can draw parallels between the grape clusters in Schreuder's etching and Caravaggio's "Bacchus," where the god holds a glass of wine, his face flushed with the pleasures of life. The grape transcends its association with revelry, as Christian art transformed it into a symbol of the Eucharist, representing Christ's blood and the promise of salvation. This duality—earthly pleasure versus spiritual transcendence— reveals how symbols evolve, shaped by collective memory and cultural context, influencing the viewer on a profound, subconscious level. This ever-shifting meaning engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The image's cyclical progression reflects how cultural symbols resurface and evolve across time.