At Lake Ilmen 

Curator: Right away, it’s that reflection. The water’s practically a mirror! Editor: Pyotr Konchalovsky created this oil painting, titled "At Lake Ilmen." There's a serene quality that's immediately striking, isn't it? The blurred line between water and sky gives the impression of a boundless, dreamy world. Curator: It does! But dreamlike can quickly turn a little… uneasy. The way the trees loom over the scene – they're gorgeous, twisting things, but they feel watchful, like old gods observing. Do you think this sense is created by how large the trees appear on either side of the image? Editor: Possibly. Trees are rich with symbolism: the World Tree of ancient mythologies, the Tree of Knowledge, even family trees… In this work, Konchalovsky positions the trees as both observers and guardians of the scene, rooted in history and bearing witness. Look how their reflections blend seamlessly with the world below. It's as if to ask what's more true, what's on top, or the reflection? Curator: That is amazing when you consider it this way. There's that lone boat with people on it too, small against all that raw natural energy! The symbolism you mentioned before seems heightened. We are peering into their small existence versus an idea of nature that is beyond us. Editor: Precisely. The human element seems fragile but resilient against the vastness of the landscape. And that windmill in the distance! Think of it, once a modern, industrious symbol, now just another element dwarfed by the immensity of time and nature. What’s intriguing to me is how nature eventually devours these advancements as the centuries pass. Curator: You have a good eye! So, Konchalovsky gives us a snapshot, but loaded with the weight of ages. He plays with those contradictions that make you feel the fleeting nature of time as you try to grip its truth, wouldn’t you say? Editor: I would. "At Lake Ilmen" prompts us to question our place within the continuum of existence, where the whisper of water meets the strength of ancestral arboreal figures. It is a beautiful moment frozen by the talent of Konchalovsky.