Illustrations for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" 1956

Hryhorii Havrylenko created this illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill". Here, we see a hen anthropomorphized with human clothing, tending to her chicks. The hen, universally a symbol of nurturing and maternal care, is here juxtaposed with a crow, an omen of ill fortune and death. In ancient Greece, crows were associated with Apollo, as bearers of bad news, and since then they carry a negative connotation in popular culture. The artist masterfully stages a narrative of innocence threatened, reflecting our primal fears and anxieties. The hen, absorbed in her mundane task, is oblivious to the lurking danger, echoing our own moments of unawareness before life’s harsh realities strike. In this seemingly simple illustration lies a profound commentary on life, vulnerability, and the ever-present shadow of misfortune.