Siver clouds over the mountains 1941

Nicholas Roerich painted "Silver Clouds Over the Mountains" with what looks like tempera on board. Just imagine those smooth, gliding strokes that Roerich laid down. The painting feels like it was made in one breath. Looking at the mountain peaks emerging through the clouds, I wonder if Roerich felt a bit like Moses, or some prophet, climbing up to meet the divine! Maybe he was out there in the Himalayas trying to find a spiritual connection through the landscape. Roerich had such a thing for these serene blues and misty whites. There's something about that top layer of paint, thinly washed, it gives the whole thing an ethereal vibe. His paintings always have this otherworldly quality, inviting you to ponder what's beyond the surface of things, you know? He really makes you feel the chill of the air and the quiet of high places. We painters, we're all in conversation with each other, riffing on what came before, and dreaming up what could be.