Every time I visit an art museum, I upload the postcards I collect as souvenirs, and I find myself thinking that I’ve gathered quite a lot. Occasionally, there are works that I truly don’t remember at all. I vaguely recall that it might have been around that time, so I check the back of the postcard to confirm the title of the exhibition and other details.
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This artwork is “Entrance to the Port of Palermo, Moonlight” by Claude Joseph Vernet. The Hermitage… huh? Isn’t that the largest national museum in Russia? There’s no way that’s true. I can’t and won’t go to Russia. (Yeah. I definitely won’t go.)
The painting has a predominance of dark colors, to the point that the light and dark contrasts are hard to distinguish. The left side is almost charcoal-like, while, in contrast, people gather in the dim light doing something.
Hmm, what are they doing?
• One person is making a bonfire.
• Two women seem to be preparing some food.
• A couple is talking in the background.
• An elderly couple is warming themselves.
• Two men are resting on a wine barrel.
• A dog is on guard behind a fisherman.
• The boats floating in the sea are impressive.
All of the boats…
Hmm.
That said, it’s dark (￣^￣)
No, that’s not quite right; it’s just that there are many shades of black. The moon and the people are what stand out. This must be true beauty.
However, if we reflect on Russia today, we shouldn’t mistakenly believe that humans are superior. The moon is watching. What does war accomplish? These thoughts lead me to Eastern, Buddhist reflections.
I wonder why I bought this.
Perhaps it was a sense of curiosity about the fearsome. I probably wouldn’t buy it now.
The beauty lies in light and shadow, and there are likely few artists capable of expressing this, so it must be a highly valued piece. However, what seems good at any given moment is fleeting, and the way I perceive things can change completely in an instant, which likely indicates that I’ve changed as a person.
That’s how I felt about this piece.
^ - ^
