Whispers of Desert (Story about New Era) 1925

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, "Whispers of Desert (Story about New Era)," with what looks like tempera on canvas, and it’s now in a museum in Russia. Roerich’s mountainscape is all about color and form. Blues and reds push and pull, creating a flattened space that still feels vast. The texture isn't about impasto, but in the contrast between rough, matte areas and smoother sections. See how the sharp peaks of the mountains are echoed in the angles of the tents? It's like the landscape itself is alive and breathing. Take a look at that red horse leaping across one of the tents. It’s a flash of energy against the deep blues, and the way it’s rendered so simply gives it a mythical quality. It makes me think of Marsden Hartley, who was also obsessed with mountains and mystic landscapes. Both artists embrace ambiguity, leaving room for us to wander through their painted worlds.