Way to Shambala 1933

Nicholas Roerich painted "Way to Shambala" at an unknown date, using a watercolor medium. The painting feels like a memory of a place, not so much a representation. I think of watercolour as the most physical of mediums, where the artist wrestles with the push and pull of water and pigment. What I really love about this piece is its colour palette. There are these very bright yellows, oranges, pinks contrasted against deeper blues and greens. Notice, especially on the central peak, how the yellow reflects and scatters across the ridges. The paint application is thin and transparent, allowing the texture of the paper to come through. But there's also a real sense of layering. The mountain ranges build up gradually, from lighter to darker tones, creating depth and atmosphere. This layering gives the landscape a mystical, almost otherworldly quality, like a dreamscape. The way Roerich handles colour reminds me a bit of Hilma af Klint's spiritual landscapes. But where Klint is very precise, Roerich is looser, more intuitive. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation. It doesn't need to be pinned down.