A stunning work. From stunning genre details to large-scale, beautifully decorated panoramas. The eye is delighted by the smooth lines of the snow (the snowstorm's pattern on the snow), the side of the boat, and the S-shaped path from the "side" to the monastery walls. The boat's prow is echoed in the church domes and watchtowers. All the details of the work tell the story of a long and arduous journey (the snow and the boat on dry land are powerful and contrasting visual images in black and white) and to the cherished goal—it's no wonder the purity of the monastery against the snowy background is so magically and richly gilded by the sun.