At the foot of Mount Hermon 1882

Vasily Polenov captured the immensity of nature in his painting, "At the Foot of Mount Hermon." The structure of the artwork is deceptively simple: a composition organized into horizontal bands, yet it evokes a sense of awe and contemplation. The mountain, rendered in thick, impasto strokes of white and grey, dominates the scene. Its textured surface contrasts with the smooth, deep blue of the sky, creating a powerful visual tension. Polenov uses color and form not just to depict the landscape but to convey a feeling of sublime grandeur. The lower third of the painting, a mix of earth tones and jagged rocks, anchors the composition and provides a sense of scale. This is the material world, a foundation upon which the ethereal mountain rises. The artist destabilizes traditional landscape painting by focusing on the emotional impact of the scene rather than precise topographical detail. It is an invitation to consider the intersection of the earthly and the transcendent, captured in the interplay of color, texture, and form.