Sissu Monastery 1932

Nicholas Roerich made this painting of the Sissu Monastery with what looks like tempera paint, maybe in the early 20th century. I love how the paint is so matte, creating a velvety surface, almost like fresco. The colors are layered thinly, but they have a real punch – that combo of yellow, orange, and blue is so intense. It’s kind of like a Rothko, but with mountains and a monastery! There is a softness to the forms, they seem to almost breathe. Look at the way the mountain fades into the sky. It’s like Roerich is reminding us that everything is connected, that even solid things like mountains and monasteries are just part of a bigger, more fluid world. It reminds me a bit of Hilma af Klint in that way, but maybe with more mountains and less geometry. Anyway, it’s beautiful and a little mysterious, isn't it?