Yellow Flowers (also known as Coucous) 1873

Henri Fantin-Latour painted this still life of yellow flowers, also known as Coucous, at an unknown date. Here, the golden daffodils, symbols of rebirth and new beginnings, burst forth against a somber backdrop, a scene reminiscent of Persephone’s return from the underworld, bringing spring’s promise. This duality of light and shadow has haunted artists since antiquity. Think of Caravaggio’s stark contrasts, or even further back, to the Eleusinian Mysteries, where light was revealed after darkness, symbolizing life after death. The flower’s delicate form, immortalized in paint, echoes ancient rituals of renewal, tapping into a collective memory. This simple bouquet becomes a stage for the perennial drama of existence, evoking emotions tied to our deepest hopes and fears. Thus, this image is not just a still life; it's a modern echo of age-old longings.