She who leads 1943

Nicholas Roerich made "She Who Leads" in Russia, and it's a pastel dreamscape on canvas. He's laid down these subtle pinks and purples like he's frosting a cake, it's like the whole world is blushing. Look at the mountains in the background – they're not just mountains, they're these jagged, almost edible shapes, softened with a hazy light. Then, you see the figures in the foreground, this woman leading a man, maybe guiding him, maybe helping him up. I'm really struck by the texture; the paint is thin and translucent, creating a sense of light and air. The colors are muted, yet there's this inner glow. Roerich's work reminds me of Hilma af Klint, spiritual, seeking something beyond the visible world. Art like this welcomes our projections.