Wisdom of Manu 1916

Nicholas Roerich made "Wisdom of Manu," sometime in the 20th century, using tempera on canvas. Look at how Roerich builds up the image with these tiny, almost pointillist marks. It’s like he's knitting the whole scene together, one little stitch at a time, letting the painting emerge slowly. There’s a real materiality to this work. You can almost feel the graininess of the tempera paint, the way it sits on the canvas, dry and chalky. The colours—muted blues, greens, and browns—create a kind of dreamlike atmosphere. Then you see that red fish-monster thing in the water! It completely interrupts the calm of the landscape. I love the way that one disruptive mark just throws the whole picture off-kilter. Roerich reminds me of Hilma af Klint, especially with the way he blends mystical themes with landscape. He’s creating a space where ideas and images can float freely, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the table. Ultimately, art is about opening up possibilities, not closing them down.