Chevrière devant une vieille maison à Labastide 

Henri Martin crafted this painting, "Chevrière devant une vieille maison à Labastide," with oil on canvas, capturing a moment seemingly frozen in time. The goatherd, or "chevrière," stands before the ancient stone house, a scene steeped in rural simplicity. Note how the goats themselves are potent symbols. Across cultures, goats have been linked to fertility, vitality, but also untamed impulses. The image of a woman tending goats echoes ancient pastoral scenes—think of Pan and the nymphs of Arcadia, symbols of primal connection to nature. Consider how this imagery resurfaces even in modern contexts, albeit transformed. We find echoes of the "chevrière" in contemporary art and literature, representing a longing for a simpler, more authentic existence. The cycle of life and nature endures, even as our world changes. This is the power of symbols, constantly in flux.