Evening 1904

"Evening" by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis is a landscape painting depicting a somber scene featuring dark vertical lines. The arrangement of these lines is reminiscent of trees, evoking the symbolic imagery of the axis mundi, the "world tree," or the connection between heaven and earth. Consider the ancient mythologies where trees symbolize life, growth, and the link between the divine and the mortal. We find echoes of this in the image's composition, recalling the "Tree of Life" motif seen in ancient Assyrian art. In contrast, the trees also resemble tombstones or monuments in a graveyard, highlighting an eternal and unchanging presence. The cloud, hovering over the scene, takes on a life of its own, evoking a sense of impending change. The dark lines beneath the cloud reach downward, connecting the sky and earth in a way that suggests both connection and potential disruption. This evokes a sense of longing for an eternal connection, something deep in the subconscious. The image is a powerful reminder of our connection to nature, the transient nature of time, and the emotional weight of our memories.