Lake Sheshnag 1939

Nicholas Roerich, sometime in the 20th century, made "Lake Sheshnag" with paint on canvas. Roerich’s approach to painting was deeply informed by his spiritual beliefs, particularly his interest in theosophy, which emphasized the interconnectedness of all things, and this is clearly reflected in his choices of materials and methods. The painting appears effortlessly smooth, an effect achieved through careful layering and blending of the paint, which gives depth and luminosity. The materials used, from the canvas to the pigments, would have been chosen for their symbolic resonance as much as their aesthetic qualities. Roerich was not merely depicting a landscape; he was engaging in a form of spiritual practice, using the act of painting as a means of connecting with the divine. And that's how Roerich blurs the distinction between 'high art' and craft.