Message to Tiron 1940

Nicholas Roerich made ‘Message to Tiron’ with paint, the date is unknown, but it’s currently in Moscow. The making of this piece feels like a kind of ritual, you know? The colours are laid down with such clarity, like stained glass or old tempera. Look at how he builds up the surface of the snow with these thick, deliberate strokes – it’s almost sculptural. This isn't about blending or illusionism; it's about the pure, material fact of paint. See how the brushstrokes build the form, and the colour creates a mood, a crisp, cold stillness. The sky is such a simple gradient, and yet it feels infinite. I keep thinking about how we are all sending messages, one way or another, and the message of art is always open to interpretation. Like a good poem, it keeps changing with each reading, with each new pair of eyes.