Woodpecker Tapestry 1885

This is William Morris’ "Woodpecker Tapestry". The eye is immediately drawn to the verdant tree teeming with fruit, a symbol of earthly delight and abundance, rooted in ancient traditions of fertility and prosperity. The Woodpecker, prominently perched, is an unexpected symbol, bearing a banner with the words "I once a king and chief now am the tree-bark thief”. This lament echoes tales of transformation found in Ovid, where gods and mortals alike are turned into creatures, losing status. Consider its lineage: the motif of the metamorphosed figure appears throughout history, each time carrying the weight of loss and change. Subconsciously, it evokes the ever-present fear of decline and the desire for perpetual youth, revealing the powerful psychological currents that underpin artistic expression. The cyclical nature of life and death, power and loss, resonates even today, reminding us that symbols evolve, adapt, and eternally reflect the complex tapestry of the human condition.