Strongholds of Tibet (study) 1932

Nicholas Roerich made this small study, Strongholds of Tibet, with tempera on board. I can just imagine him there, rapidly capturing the scene with decisive marks. The sun seems to be setting, casting shadows across the ochre and umber hillside, while dark moody mountains loom in the background. I wonder if Roerich was thinking about the spiritual and physical strength embodied by these structures. The architecture sits so naturally within the landscape. You can almost feel the dry, thin air. The buildings themselves appear to have grown organically from the earth. Roerich was deeply interested in mysticism, and his paintings often evoke a sense of mystery, spirituality, and the power of nature. Like other painters, he developed a visual language to convey feeling, spirit and intent. His mark-making communicates directly to the viewer. We can think of painting as a continuing conversation that transcends time.