This painting of the Ichthys (the Ancient and clasical Greek word for Fish) was painted with the below story in mind.

The hand made original has a textured raised surface and is painted to look like a bronze sculpture.

In the years following the ascension of the resurrected of Jesus to heaven, the Christian church grew rapidly.
Christians soon found themselves under persecution from the Romans and the Jews.
In some parts it became dangerous to be known as a Christian.
Thus, when two strangers met, if one thought the other might be a fellow believers, he would draw, on the ground, the upper half of the fish symbol.

If the second stranger was indeed a Christian, he would draw the lower half of the fish symbol, achknowleging his Christianity.