Here Church uses the rising sun as a metaphor for the birth of his son, Herbert Edwin, born on 29 October 1862. He would return to this symbolic theme in early 1865 when he painted Moonrise (The Rising Moon) to mark the birth on 22 October 1864 of his daughter, Emma. However, this pair of paintings would become
tainted with sadness as both Herbert and Emma died in March 1865 of diphtheria.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation / Olana State Historic Site, Hudson, NY. OL.1981.12.A.B