“Washington’s Solitary Supplication at Valley Forge,” acrylic on canvas, Bishop Maxim, 2023

The artist masterfully achieves a compelling composition—simple, pristine, and evocative. President George Washington is depicted in the foreground, caught in a transitional moment between standing and kneeling, his left knee hovering just above the earth. In quiet obeisance, his horse stands sentinel in the backdrop. The natural surroundings—from the stoic trees to the imposing black mountain and the emotive purple sky—appear unresponsive, almost indifferent to Washington's profound distress. The focal point gravitates toward his closed eyelids, tracing a line from his eyes to his nose, mouth, chin, and fingers. Amidst palpable solitude, his PRAYER deepens, resonating potently with its divine receiver. One can’t help but feel the echoes of Gethsemane in this solemn tableau. — Stamatis Skliris