The destruction of Atlantis 1928

Nicholas Roerich created this painting of Atlantis using oil on canvas. The painting has a somber, almost monochromatic palette, dominated by blues and grays, reflecting the dark mood of a civilization's end. I can imagine Roerich carefully layering the paint, building up the forms of the doomed city, and the threatening sky above. I wonder what he was thinking about when he made this. Maybe he felt a sense of doom, or maybe he felt like he was recording a premonition? I imagine that this painting was an emotional release, a way for him to externalize his innermost feelings. I love the clouds that look like they are twisting downwards, and they are painted with big strokes. This expressive gesture communicates so much feeling, so much intention. It reminds me a little of El Greco, but with a science fiction twist. Artists are always in dialogue, aren’t they? An ongoing conversation over centuries. It's all so beautifully and tragically ambiguous!