Language of bird 1920

Curator: Nicholas Roerich's "Language of Bird," painted in 1920, captivates with its dreamlike landscape and symbolic figures rendered in tempera. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: The colors are striking! The greens of her skin against the deep blues, and those flat areas of red. It feels deliberately unreal, like theatre sets. What about the materiality catches your eye, specifically? Curator: For me, the painting breathes a certain mystic quality. I'm intrigued by Roerich's symbolism. He weaves together human and avian forms. Look at the gentle curve of the figure's hand echoing the branch where the bird rests, and their gazes aligning towards a distant shore. There’s an intimacy in that mirrored gesture, isn't there? Editor: Agreed, and speaking to materials, tempera gives it a matte, almost chalky finish, fitting the ancient, allegorical feel. One wonders about sourcing those particular pigments back then and what role craft played, considering the precise outlining of forms. Almost like a religious icon in production. Curator: I read in the artist's use of that egg tempera medium a reference to ancient traditions, and the layering of meanings in plain sight: a quest for enlightenment communicated through an archaic medium—perfectly mirroring the woman's open gesture and the listening bird, which is a central component of the esoteric teachings of language and communication beyond common perception. Editor: Do you think the simplification and flatness is about making it accessible to a wider audience, democratizing art with common, obtainable material in times of turbulence? The symbolic themes layered into these simple flat planes makes you wonder about Roerich’s intention to use materiality as message, not just form. Curator: A fascinating interpretation! I hadn’t considered that quite so literally. Perhaps his artistic project aimed to reach far beyond the educated elite with simple, affordable, familiar materials to transmit deeper ideas. Editor: It definitely puts a fresh perspective on this 'Language of Bird.' What else did you learn about this painting that particularly sparked your attention? Curator: This has encouraged a completely new contemplation!