Moonlight, the main part of the composition, flickers in the waves, enlightens the white walls of the houses, colors the clouds silver. The shining unites the sky and the earth in a peaceful and solemn harmony. When the painting was exhibited, the illusion of light was so realistic that many people furtively attempted to look behind the canvas, certain there must be a lamp there. To intensify the effect, the picture was placed in a dark hall and lit by one electric beam aimed directly at it. Color was more of a subject than the land, building moods rather than stories. “Moonlit Night on the Dnieper” was exhibited on its own, shrouded in a black curtain, emphasizing the luminous moonlight. The minimal use of color was a daring act for the time, creating an almost abstract composition propelled by the imagination of the viewer. [http://museumstudiesabroad.org/polyphony-in-isaac-levitans-landscapes/]