Konrad Mägi painted a direct view of the sun over the horizon on several occasions. Generally, clouds in the sky are the defining element in his works, which can seem either safe or threatening, but on the few occasions that he painted the sun, the mood seems more apocalyptic. This work is one of three known paintings where Mägi painted a frontal view of the sun, but unlike the other two (Landscape with the Sun, Art Museum of Estonia; and a lost work, photo in the Tartu Art Museum archive) we see the landscape and even works of man here. The sun does not devour everything but is in the background, where its glow lights up the entire sky. Because of that, this work has the least apocalyptic feel of the paintings; the sun does not seem threatening since it is everywhere. Although the low house and trees keep their shape and even colour, without being affected by the sun, the sun is still the element that defines the whole work’s mood.

The inchoate depiction of the landscape, the existence of realistic objects and the fact that the support is left visible here and there give reason to suppose that Mägi was painting a natural show that quickly unfolded before his eyes on Vilsandi Island or in Kihelkonna, stylizing and supplementing it, but nevertheless conveying his immediate experience.

The reproduction of these works without the express written consent of the owner of the works is prohibited.