Staande vrouw met een bundel koren Possibly 1846

Pieter van Loon rendered this drawing of a standing woman with a bundle of wheat, likely in 1846, using graphite. The woman, seen in profile, carries a generous sheaf of wheat. This symbol of abundance and harvest is not merely agrarian; it resonates deeply across cultures. Consider Demeter of ancient Greece, or Ceres of Rome, goddesses of agriculture whose bounty ensured societal prosperity. The wheat she bears is more than just grain; it is a promise of continuation, a visual echo of life’s cyclical rhythm. Even in Christian iconography, wheat appears during Eucharist, symbolizing sacrifice and spiritual nourishment. The presence of the female figure links to ancient earth-mother goddesses and fertility rituals, tapping into primal human emotions associated with sustenance and growth. Through time, the bundle of wheat undergoes a metamorphosis, symbolizing the eternal cycle of life, death, and renewal.