Woodland Nymph 

John Collier painted this Woodland Nymph, depicting a scene brimming with symbolic weight. Notice the lamb, an ancient symbol of innocence and purity. It hearkens back to early Christian iconography, where Christ is often depicted as the sacrificial lamb, the Agnus Dei, a symbol of redemption and divine grace. But even before Christianity, the lamb held significance in pagan rituals, representing new beginnings and the fertile promise of spring. The nymph herself, adorned with flowers, embodies the life-giving forces of nature. She reminds us of Botticelli's Primavera, where Flora scatters blossoms, awakening the world from its winter slumber. These images tap into a primal longing for harmony with the natural world, a desire deeply embedded in our collective unconscious. This yearning for an unspoiled Eden is a powerful force, one that continues to resurface in art across time, reminding us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.