Kip met kuikens bij een schuur of boerderij 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe captured this image of a hen with her chicks beside a barn using photography, a relatively new medium, sometime between 1864 and 1952. The protective hen and her vulnerable chicks huddle together, evoking timeless themes of motherhood, nurture, and the cycle of life. Consider the enduring symbol of the hen in mythology and folklore: from ancient Egyptian depictions associated with rebirth to its presence in European traditions symbolizing fertility. One cannot help but recall images of the Madonna and child; the hen, like Mary, becomes a vessel of life, cherished and protected. This image is a powerful expression of care and protection. It shows us how symbols reappear across cultures and time, echoing and amplifying our deepest emotions and experiences.