Still Life with Pumpkin, Plums, Cherries, Figs and Jug 1860

Théodule Ribot created this still life with oil on canvas, featuring a pumpkin, plums, cherries, figs, and a jug. The pumpkin, centrally placed, dominates the composition, symbolising abundance and harvest, a theme echoing back to ancient agrarian societies. Consider how the pumpkin, split open to reveal its seeds, parallels images of the Madonna, her womb a vessel of life-giving potential. We find similar motifs in Roman cornucopia, overflowing with the earth’s bounty, or even pre-Christian fertility idols. These symbols evolve, yet retain a core connection to nature’s cyclical rhythms. The arrangement of the fruit, casually scattered yet carefully composed, reminds us that artistic expression is not linear. Instead, it resurfaces through time, each iteration layered with new cultural and psychological meanings. The emotional power of this image lies in its ability to tap into our collective memory, engaging us on a deeply subconscious level with symbols of nourishment, life, and the enduring cycle of nature.