Sanctuaries and Citadels 1925

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, Sanctuaries and Citadels, most likely with tempera on canvas or board. I love the way he’s orchestrated this symphony of blues – it’s almost monochromatic, but not quite. It’s about the feeling of blue more than the literal color, you know? Look at how the paint is applied – thin, scrubbed in some areas, and in others, it’s built up to create a subtle texture. It's like he's layering atmosphere and light, making these mountains feel both solid and ethereal. My eye keeps going back to the rooftops of the citadels, these little rectangular shapes against the darker foreground. They’re like notes in a musical score, anchoring the composition. It makes me think of Marsden Hartley, and his landscapes with that similar sense of monumentality and spiritual intensity. Roerich really gets at something about the power of place and the way we project our inner selves onto the landscape. It's more of a feeling, or an echo, than a picture.