Vignette for book "N. K. Roerich" 1918

This is a book vignette by Nicholas Roerich, made at an unknown date, and with unknown materials. It looks like a black and white print, maybe a woodcut, and I imagine Roerich carefully carving away at the block, thinking about medieval cathedrals and processions. The lines create a dense but atmospheric space, with arches leading your eye back into the unknown. What was Roerich thinking? Probably not about the same thing I’m thinking! I imagine him thinking about a sacred past, of monks and monasteries, of ancient times and rituals. The figures huddle in the foreground, their faces obscured, like they are initiates into a secret order. You can see two more figures in the background through a distant archway, and it makes me wonder whether they are also members of this community. The texture of the printmaking reminds me a little of the paintings of Emil Nolde, both artists using rough marks to convey spiritual themes. This image feels like part of a conversation happening across time. It’s a conversation about history, spirituality, and our place in the world.