In The Garden 

Boris Grigoriev’s painting, In The Garden, depicts a lush scene brimming with symbolism. Doves, prominent on the rooftop, have long been emblems of peace, purity, and the Holy Spirit in Western religious art. These birds carry echoes from ancient Greek art, where they were associated with Aphrodite, goddess of love, and even earlier, to Mesopotamian art, as symbols of the mother goddess Ishtar. Consider how the dove has transitioned from a symbol of divine femininity and love, to its prevalent association with peace, a shift propelled by Christian iconography. Note the laden fruit trees, which can represent abundance, temptation, and the cycle of life. We find the ripe fruit in the Garden of Eden, and it appears later in vanitas paintings as a reminder of mortality. The doves and fruits engage us on a deep, subconscious level, stirring emotions tied to nature, divinity, and existence itself. These symbols remind us that art is not just a visual experience, but a continuous dialogue across cultures and centuries.