Alleen in huis 1875 - 1903

This color print, "Alone at Home" by Jan de Haan, presents us with Cinderella amidst the hearth, a powerful symbol of domesticity and servitude. Notice the doves, luminous and seemingly guiding, fluttering around her. Doves, historically symbols of peace and purity, recur in various mythologies, often representing divine intervention or messages. Think of Aphrodite's chariot drawn by doves, or the dove announcing the end of the Flood in the story of Noah, and of course Christian symbolism. Here, they offer Cinderella solace. The hearth itself, with its pot suspended over the fire, is a potent image. Fire, an element of transformation and purification, is a recurring symbol in alchemy and mythology. Consider how fire is central to the myth of Prometheus, and consider the emotional warmth of the home. The contrast between the warmth of the hearth and Cinderella's isolation evokes a deep psychological tension, engaging our own memories and emotions tied to home and belonging. Like motifs found in ancient frescoes, they resurface and evolve. These symbols are not linear; they twist and turn through time, constantly being reimagined and reinterpreted.