Tver Embassy 1914

Nicholas Roerich created this intriguing piece, Tver Embassy, using tempera on cardboard. The subdued palette, almost monochromatic, really draws me into the intricate details. It’s like Roerich is inviting us to get lost in the process of looking. There's this amazing layering of textures and patterns, like the whole surface is alive with tiny marks. It’s as if the act of painting becomes a kind of meditative exploration. Looking at those ornate, swirling decorations around the borders and architecture, you can almost feel the artist's hand moving, tracing, building. I am really drawn to the bottom portion, the gathering of figures in the very centre. They recede into the background, as if a city or community. It’s hard to tell what they are doing, but I think that ambiguity is what gives this piece its power. In a way, Roerich reminds me of Hilma af Klint, both of them building entire worlds, one stroke at a time.