Description of the painting by Mikhail Nesterov “The Hermit”

Description of the painting by Mikhail Nesterov The Hermit

The name for the picture by the author was not chosen by chance. Hermit means wanderer, wanderer, traveler, hermit. The main character of the picture is a gray-haired man. He has long hair and a beard. He is dressed quite lightly, despite the fact that there is still some snow on the street. The middle of spring, the ice on the river has melted. The smooth surface of the water is like a mirror in which the cloudy sky is reflected.

A man walks along the shore. In the sky – a dense cover of clouds. Winter does not dare to leave their possession, and that sky, alas, is still prolonged. And a rare ray can break through their veil. Naked raw earth. Quiet, smooth, but completely uncomfortable. You can feel the coolness of that day. A cold wind blew from the river, a light rain spilled – the vicissitudes of the weather during this period are perceived as a given.

But the old man does not care. He is well and pleased

even in this setting. He goes and smiles; he doesn’t care about this cold. His bast shoes are soaked and he is not dressed as warmly as he should be. However, he goes and smiles at what he sees. He is happy, because all the laws of nature, the change of seasons – it is unshakable and constant. And after the cold, heat will surely come. He appreciates every moment of this life. His wisdom allows him to find something particularly beautiful in any weather, do not grumble against the cold and rain, but enjoy the unusualness of the moment, its peculiarity, because he is one such amazing and unique, and this moment will never happen again.

The shadow of an old monk right in front of him means the sun is shining behind him. He is the same as everyone, an ordinary person of flesh and blood. But at the same time, it is completely different, spiritually dissenting. The years of worship of the Lord, his cross of repentance and obedience gave him the wisdom and tolerance with which he had a special, only known to him and clear way. The path leading to happiness.


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Description of the painting by Mikhail Nesterov “The Hermit”