Salute to the dawn 

Pasquale Celommi painted this piece, Salute to the dawn, in the late 19th or early 20th century. Here, the artist captures a woman standing at the water's edge, arms raised towards the light. This gesture is not new. The motif of raised arms appears across cultures, from ancient Egyptian depictions of souls ascending to heaven, to the Christian posture of prayer. Consider its reappearance in Romanticism, signaling an emotional and spiritual communion with nature. Celommi's painting engages this tradition, evoking feelings of awe, reverence, and the sublime. The posture may have changed in overt meaning but still stirs a sense of aspiration. The rising sun is a timeless symbol of hope, renewal, and the cyclical nature of life. The combination of these elements suggests a longing for spiritual awakening. This reflects our deeply rooted desire to find meaning and connection in a world that often feels chaotic. Through this painting, Celommi taps into a collective memory of the human experience, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, there is always the promise of a new dawn.