Girl with chickens Firs Sergeevich Zhuravlev (1836-1901)

The composition presents a young girl in what appears to be a rustic barn or shed. She stands barefoot on a straw-covered floor, her posture suggesting a moment of playful interaction with several chickens gathered around her feet. The child holds a small container – perhaps for collecting eggs – in one hand while extending the other towards the birds, scattering grain or feed.
The artist has rendered the scene in a realistic style, emphasizing texture and light. The straw floor is meticulously detailed, conveying a sense of tangible materiality. Light streams through an opening in the structure, illuminating the girl and highlighting the chickens’ plumage. This creates a focal point on the central figures while leaving portions of the background in shadow, adding depth to the space.
The childs expression is difficult to decipher definitively; it seems to convey a mixture of concentration and perhaps a touch of melancholy. Her simple, somewhat worn clothing reinforces the impression of a rural existence, likely one characterized by labor and simplicity. The chickens themselves are depicted with naturalistic detail, their postures suggesting both curiosity and a readiness to feed.
Subtly, the painting evokes themes of childhood innocence, connection to nature, and the rhythms of agricultural life. The bare feet suggest vulnerability and closeness to the earth. The act of feeding the chickens implies responsibility and caretaking within a domestic sphere. There is an underlying sense of quiet observation – a glimpse into a moment of everyday existence that speaks to broader societal values related to family, labor, and the natural world. The muted color palette contributes to the overall feeling of understated realism and evokes a sense of nostalgia or remembrance.