Petits, petits!! 1864

Charles Jacque created this etching, "Petits, petits!!" showing children with chickens. The grouping of children and animals, particularly birds, speaks to a deep-seated symbolic connection that resonates across centuries. Consider how the image of birds, often chickens, appears in diverse contexts. The barnyard fowl are symbols of domesticity and simple rustic life, but go further back they are emblems of fertility, watchfulness, and even sacrifice. In ancient Rome, chickens were used for divination, their behavior guiding critical decisions. The domestic fowl’s appearance with children evokes the vulnerability and innocence of youth. Here, the children, perched above the chickens, seem to mirror a timeless interaction—humans observing and interacting with the natural world. This reflects a continuous cycle of life and nature, a theme that resurfaces and evolves through art history, continually reminding us of the primal connection we share with the earth and its creatures.