Fire paternoster 1907

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, "Fire paternoster", with what looks like tempera or maybe pastels, and the marks are like chunky, deliberate stabs. I mean, look at those mountains! They're not just sitting there; they're actively being made, right before our eyes. The texture is key here, it's almost geological, like we're seeing the earth's crust folding and rising. Roerich uses color not to describe, but to build. The fiery orange against the cool blues isn't just about light; it's about a kind of spiritual energy, and he puts it on thick, like he's building a world, one tiny gesture at a time. That jagged edge where the fire meets the mountain? It's raw, like the painting is still in process, like it's daring you to finish it. Roerich reminds me a little of Marsden Hartley, someone else who wasn't afraid to let the paint do the talking. Both artists seem to suggest that art is less about answers and more about keeping the conversation alive.