['Sulphur Mountain', 'Yellowstone Lake', 'Fishing, hot spring cone'] before 1887

Frank Jay Haynes captured these scenes of Sulphur Mountain, Yellowstone Lake, and fishermen near a hot spring cone in a series of photographs. The fishermen, standing on a precarious raft, recall images of St. Peter, the fisherman, a symbol of humility and faith since the early Church. Consider the ages-old motif of the fisherman: from ancient Egyptian art depicting fishing scenes along the Nile, symbolizing life and sustenance, to its resonance in Christian iconography, representing the calling of the apostles. The act of angling for fish mirrors the quest for knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. Like the fishermen in Haynes's photographs, we cast our lines into the unknown, hoping to reel in a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world. The cyclical nature of water, life, and renewal reminds us of the interconnectedness of all things, and the eternal return of symbols across time and cultures.