INTO THE SEA depicts workers shoveling dollars into a large ship named “Ivan Susanin.” Ivan Susanin is a national Russian hero of early 17th century. According to the popular legend, Polish troops were seeking to kill Russian Tsar Mikhail. In woods near the village, they met a logger, Ivan Susanin, who promised to take them via a “shortcut” through a forest directly to the Monastery where he was apparently hiding. Susanin led them so deep into the forest that they could not find a way out and so they perished in the bitter cold.
 
Since that time people jokingly call Ivan Susanin someone who deliberately and seriously misleads you. Our guesses and interpretations – they are different for everyone!!

From religious standpoint:
One of Russia’s most famous operas was named Ivan Susanin, but in pre-Soviet times was called “Life for the Tsar”. So a question may be posed: “Are you willing to give your life for the Tsar, but not the Tsar in this case, not God even, but for the DOLLAR, for earthly sins and delights?” Where do our deepest values lie? Have we been completely seduced by consumerism, and put our material welfare above our spiritual? Perhaps the painting is demonstrating people cleansing themselves, redeeming themselves, and living a new life with truer values, after getting rid of the consumerism that money symbolizes.

Submitted by East West Fine Art Gallery. Visit EastWestFineArt.com to see more paintings.