Otydi from me, Satan Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

The painting depicts a dramatic encounter between a luminous, angelic figure and a dark, imposing silhouette. The angelic figure, bathed in a soft, yellowish-green light, stands with hands clasped and head tilted slightly upwards, conveying a sense of spiritual steadfastness. In stark contrast, a towering, shadowed form, heavily outlined in black and tinged with fiery reds at its base, looms over the angelic figure. This darker entity appears to be a representation of Satan, perhaps in the act of tempting or confronting.
The background is a swirling expanse of deep blues, speckled with distant, faint lights, suggesting a celestial or cosmic setting. A powerful element in the composition is the vibrant, fiery red and orange mass at the bottom center, acting as a visual anchor and possibly symbolizing hell, temptation, or the raw forces of evil. A rough, dark surface, reminiscent of a rocky outcropping, supports the angelic figure, grounding it amidst the intense cosmic and infernal energies.
The subtext of the painting is likely a representation of the biblical story of Christs temptation in the desert, or more broadly, the eternal struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, or spiritual purity and demonic temptation. The title, Otydi from me, Satan (which can be translated from Russian as Depart from me, Satan or Get away from me, Satan), strongly suggests a confrontation with the devil, emphasizing the divine figures rejection of evil. The contrast in lighting and form between the two figures powerfully illustrates this conflict, with the divine radiating pure light and the demonic embodying darkness and destruction. The presence of what appear to be stars in the background could symbolize divine presence or the vastness of the spiritual realm in which this profound battle of wills takes place.