Treasure of Angels 1905

Nicholas Roerich made 'Treasure of Angels' with paint, and what looks like tempera, at some point in his career. I can imagine Roerich layering the paint to create a luminous, almost ethereal surface, can't you? Look at that crowd of haloed figures, all lined up like they're waiting for the bus. The color palette leans towards muted earth tones, punctuated by the gold of the halos – it's a mystical landscape, rendered with a touch of folk-art simplicity. The angel in the foreground seems both protective and inviting. Roerich's work often explores spiritual themes and a connection to nature, and you can see that here. His paintings remind me of Hilma af Klint’s, both reaching for something beyond the canvas. These artists are in conversation across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Roerich's painting offers a space for reflection, where meaning emerges not from certainty, but from the treasure of ambiguity.