Hermit Mikhail Nesterov (1862-1942)

Description of Mikhail Nesterov’s painting The Hermit

The title for the painting was not chosen by the author by chance. The title refers to a wanderer, a traveler, a wayfarer, a hermit. The main character in the painting is a white-haired man. He has long hair and a beard. He is dressed lightly enough, despite the fact that in some places there is still snow on the street. It’s mid-spring, and the ice on the river has already melted. The smooth surface of the water is like a mirror, reflecting the cloudy sky.

A man is walking along the bank. There is a thick cloud cover on the sky. Winter never dares to leave its domain, so the sky, alas, is still overcast. And a rare ray can penetrate their veil. Bare, damp earth. It’s quiet and smooth, but it’s not at all comfortable. You can feel the chill of the day. A cold wind blows from the river, a light rain falls - the vicissitudes of the weather at this time are taken for granted.

But it doesn’t matter to the old man. He feels good and happy, even in this environment. He walks and smiles - he does not care about this cold. His boots are soaked, and he is not dressed as warmly as he should. But he walks and smiles at what he sees. He is happy, because all the laws of nature, the change of seasons, are unchangeable and constant. And after the cold, warmth is sure to come. He appreciates every moment of this life. His wisdom allows him to find something especially beautiful in any weather, not to grumble about the cold and rain, but to enjoy the uniqueness of the moment, its peculiarity, because he is the only such amazing and unique moment, and this moment will never be repeated.

The shadow of the elder monk right in front of him means that the sun is shining behind him. He is just like everyone else, an ordinary man of flesh and blood. But at the same time he is totally different, spiritually dissenting. Years of worshipping the Lord, his cross of repentance and obedience have given him wisdom and tolerance, with which he has a special path that only he knows and understands. A path that leads to happiness.