Sunny Day 1876

Isaac Levitan painted this intimate oil painting of a rural scene sometime before his death in 1900. Note the prominent presence of chickens roaming freely in the yard. Across cultures and throughout time, the chicken serves as a symbol of both domesticity and fertility, a humble creature deeply intertwined with the rhythms of daily life. One might recall ancient Greek depictions of the rooster as an emblem of courage and virility, or its later association with vigilance and resurrection in early Christian iconography. Yet, here, the chicken is rendered not as a symbol of power or religious significance, but as a simple, rustic detail, almost blending in with the landscape. It embodies a more primal connection to the earth. The painting invites us to consider the cyclical nature of symbols and their ability to convey profound emotional truths across time.