Afterglow 

Ralph Blakelock's "Afterglow" is a symphony of twilight painted with oils, capturing a landscape bathed in the day's last breath. Here, the setting sun is not merely an astronomical event, but a potent symbol, charged with meaning. The afterglow motif is deeply rooted in our collective psyche. We see echoes of it in Caspar David Friedrich's romantic sunsets and William Turner's fiery skies, each artist using the motif to invoke feelings of longing and contemplation. But even further back, recall ancient myths where the setting sun marked a transition, a journey into the underworld. This descent into darkness taps into a deep-seated fear of the unknown, a universal experience we all share. The symbolic weight of sunset is a non-linear progression. It signifies endings and beginnings, loss and hope. It's a perpetual cycle, resurfacing in art across centuries, reminding us of the transient nature of life and the enduring power of light against encroaching darkness.