Boerenvrouw staand bij een haard 1886 - 1912

This drawing by Emanuel Samson van Beever depicts a peasant woman standing by a hearth, rendered in somber tones. The hearth, as the heart of the home, is an ancient symbol, representing warmth, nourishment, and family unity. Consider how the hearth has appeared throughout history, from ancient Roman villas with their sacred hearth fires, to medieval castles where the hearth was central to communal life. In each context, the hearth evokes a sense of belonging and continuity. We can trace it further back, to the caves where our ancestors congregated around a fire, which is etched deep in our collective memory, linking us to primal instincts of survival and social connection. The woman's presence by the hearth is not merely a depiction of domesticity but an invocation of these deep-seated associations of the home, motherhood, and nourishment. Her somber attitude evokes a sense of the cyclical nature of life, loss, and renewal.