Vignette for book "N. K. Roerich" 1918

This is a vignette made for a book about N.K. Roerich, it's a simple black ink on white paper. I find the repeating shapes so compelling. There's a circle outlining a square with four loops, and then a circle in the middle with six dots. I love the texture around the main circle, it feels like it was quickly applied, like a stamp, or perhaps it was made from a linocut. The lines are firm and unforgiving, yet there's something about the composition that feels very human and approachable. The design reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint, both artists were interested in exploring transcendental themes through art, and this vignette gives an insight into Roerich's spiritual and philosophical interests. You get the sense it is a shorthand for something much bigger, a whole belief system distilled into a single image. This is why I love art, it’s always an open-ended conversation.