Haan voor een houten schutting 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photograph, titled ‘Rooster in Front of a Wooden Fence,’ using gelatin silver print, likely sometime in the early 20th century. Tepe wasn’t just pointing and shooting. He was crafting a statement through careful composition and printing techniques. The gelatin silver process, popular at the time, allowed for a wide tonal range, which Tepe uses to emphasize the rooster’s form against the rustic wooden fence. Note how the light catches the texture of the wood, each plank telling its own story of labor and weathering. The choice of subject is also significant. Chickens are, of course, farm animals, but they also reference Dutch painting. By elevating this everyday scene, Tepe blurs the lines between high art and the humble realities of rural life. He asks us to see beauty and value in the commonplace, challenging the established hierarchies of art and society. In doing so, he transforms a simple photograph into a powerful commentary on the dignity of labor and the richness of the everyday.