In the Summer of 1889, Levitan worked on this painting which is near the riverside town of Plyos. He has sitting above the Volga River on a hillside. Houses and churches go right up to the edge of the water. We're standing in a clearing of tree stumps; some wooded areas still surround the village.
An artist-friend told me recently that for a painting to be great, the colors are not as important as the artist knowing how to create light and shadow. This painting of a summertime afternoon is filled with a wonderful light. There is a mist or fog over the river that is so dense it veils the river's opposite bank.
For all we have,
and yet we remain
cynical,
bitter,
disillusioned.
For all we can do,
and yet we remain
distrustful,
insecure,
apathetic.
For all we have achieved,
and yet we remain
fearful,
bored,
hateful.
Easter Jesus,
lift the fog
that keeps us
from seeing
fully.
