Blue paintings 1906

Curator: Stepping in front of this artwork by Nicholas Roerich, appropriately titled "Blue Paintings", dating back to 1906, what immediately strikes you? Editor: There's a pervasive solemnity here. The chromatic restraint, primarily the deep blues and muted golds, creates a very contemplative atmosphere, wouldn't you agree? The overall composition, particularly the layering, is really intriguing, evoking a dream-like vision. Curator: Indeed. Considering Roerich's work, it's valuable to see the ways Byzantine art and medieval influences were embraced in his artistic process. As you examine, for example, the use of what appears to be fresco, and perhaps other media incorporated too. How would the prevalent socio-economic factors affect production and patronage? What type of resources would it demand? Editor: Right, the application itself creates that rich, textural surface that grabs our focus. It echoes those Byzantine and early medieval forms that definitely create a timeless quality. Looking at it purely formally, though, that emphasis flattens the picture plane and forces the eye to consider the relation between figures and space. Curator: I think a deeper investigation of Roerich's narrative within history is warranted. His body of work clearly borrows subject matter related to Christianity while also creating an abstraction through those "holy places," historical depictions, and his own symbolic language, providing clues as to how to receive his work in the early twentieth century and in our contemporary setting. Editor: Definitely. Considering the abstracted forms of figures, arches, the flattening plane, they all work to produce symbolic significance, like Roerich’s own semiotic system creating that feeling of almost peering into another world or dimension. Don't you think? Curator: Exactly. His conscious engagement, along with available and attainable materials, is creating layers and allowing the audience to reflect deeply upon his perspective. Editor: Looking again at these compositions...the narrative is certainly thought-provoking, giving us lots to think about. Curator: Roerich gives us plenty to think about in this beautiful artwork that, even now, continues to affect audiences in new and varying ways.