Nad riekou 1887

Ladislav Mednyánszky created this drawing of a river landscape, a scene shrouded in a muted palette of browns and grays. The river, a motif often associated with the passage of time and the subconscious, dominates the composition. Reflections in the water blur the boundary between the real and the mirrored, evoking a dreamlike state, not unlike Caspar David Friedrich's landscapes, where nature embodies the sublime. The symbolism of water as a mirror to the soul stretches back to antiquity. Think of Narcissus, who wasted away staring at his own reflection. Here, Mednyánszky uses the river to delve into the depths of memory, a place where images are not clearly defined, but rather impressions of the past. This landscape is not just a place, but an emotional space, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, beckoning them to confront their own reflections. The cyclical nature of water, its constant flow and return, echoes our own lives and emotional states. Thus, water perpetually resurfaces, carrying with it layers of meaning and cultural memory.