Selling Chickens in Liguria 1906

Henry Herbert La Thangue painted this scene of "Selling Chickens in Liguria," capturing a moment imbued with symbolic weight. The chickens, prominently held by the young woman, are not merely livestock; they are ancient symbols of fertility and domesticity. Consider how the chicken motif has been carried through time. In ancient Rome, chickens were used for divination, their behavior interpreted as messages from the gods. This echoes in various cultures where poultry is linked to both life and sacrifice. The act of selling, therefore, becomes a transaction of deeper cultural significance. The girl's bare feet connect her directly to the earth, enhancing the raw emotionality of the scene. These symbols are not static; they evolve, resurface, and gain new layers of meaning as they traverse time.