Scorpio 1907

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this mystical painting, Scorpio, with tempera on paper, but we don't know when. The whole thing is awash with this dreamy, muted palette, all grays, blues, and purples, like a hazy memory. The layers of paint! They're so thin, like watercolor washes, building up to create depth. Look at the way the verticals dissolve into the sky, they give this sense of infinite space. And that central structure, is it a building, a monument? It's adorned with celestial motifs—stars, constellations, and of course, the scorpion itself. The way Ciurlionis layers these symbols is incredibly fascinating. Each mark, each brushstroke, contributes to the overall mood, a kind of spiritual yearning. You can see echoes of Symbolism, maybe even a touch of Munch in that atmospheric intensity, but Ciurlionis is doing his own thing. This piece is a reminder that art is always a conversation, a dialogue across time and space, embracing the mysterious and multiple interpretations.