"Vladimir Nabokov observed in his novel _Despair_ that prints of this work were to be "found in every Berlin home." Many observers have interpreted the oarsman as representing the boatman Charon who conducted souls to the underworld in Greek mythology. The water would then be either the River Styx or the River Acheron and his white-clad passenger a recently deceased soul transiting to the afterlife. Greek island Pontikonisi, near Corfu, was likely the inspiration for the painting." - Adriano

... how I feel whenever I go to Isola di San Michele by boat from Venezia. Beautifully peaceful. - Adriano