[Cornfield in Back of the Barn] 1883

Thomas Eakins captured this photograph titled "Cornfield in Back of the Barn" in 1883. The field of corn represents nature's bounty. Throughout art history, crops such as wheat and corn have been potent symbols of fertility and harvest. Consider ancient Egypt, where depictions of abundant harvests were common, symbolizing the cyclical renewal of life and prosperity. Moving forward in time, we see how classical mythology links agricultural abundance to deities like Demeter or Ceres. Here, in Eakins' photograph, the cornfield is not just a field. It is a symbol laden with associations of growth, nourishment, and the earth's generative power. The act of photographing this scene, then, connects Eakins to a deep, almost subconscious tradition of representing the life-sustaining forces of nature. This symbol transcends eras, continually resurfacing in the collective consciousness of humankind.