Widdringtonia nodiflora (L.) E. Powrie (Mountain cypress, or Cape cedar) Possibly 1777 - 1786

Robert Jacob Gordon rendered this study of Widdringtonia nodiflora in ink and watercolour. This species of Cypress tree is here noted to be called "Cederboom" in the Cape of Good Hope. The cypress, with its enduring evergreen foliage, is a symbol steeped in cultural memory. In classical antiquity, it was associated with mourning and the underworld, its somber presence marking sacred groves and cemeteries. Yet, life and death are intertwined, so too, the cypress can mean immortality. The closed cones might represent a life-giving force, tightly bound, holding the potential for renewal, or, in contrast, the seeds of death. Consider how the Renaissance adopted classical motifs, and even in contemporary botanical studies such as this, one cannot deny that these symbols still resonate. The tree is depicted with botanical accuracy, yet also evokes a sense of timelessness, a silent witness to the passage of generations, reminding us of the cyclical nature of existence.