Fotoreproductie van het schilderij 'Haan en kippen' door Jan Gerard Smits c. 1866 - 1871

This is a photographic reproduction by Binger & Chits of Jan Gerard Smits’ painting ‘Haan en kippen’, or ‘Rooster and Hens.’ Although we don’t have the date of this work, its black and white medium places it within a history of early photography, a technology that transformed how we perceive reality and document our world. In this farmyard scene, chickens mill about near a thatched-roof building. This image invites us to consider the relationship between humans and animals, and the romanticization of rural life. The domestic sphere is here populated by symbols of nature’s bounty. How do these symbols play into our understanding of gender roles, and the historical divisions between public and private life? These chickens carry a complex symbolism, tied to both sustenance and ideas of freedom. They reflect a society in which the production of food is closely linked to our emotional and cultural experiences. The artwork serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness with the natural world.