Koksar Camp 1932

Nicholas Roerich created ‘Koksar Camp’ with oil on canvas; it now resides at the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York. Looking at those layered mountains, I imagine Roerich in a painterly conversation with the landscape, trying to capture its vastness and monumentality. He must have really looked at all those subtle tonal variations, moving from ochre to violet. I wonder, did he mix the colors directly on the canvas or premix them on the palette? See how the paint is applied in these distinct planes. It’s like Roerich is building up the forms with color. I admire how the sky is rendered in a muted yellow and is almost cloudless, suggesting an atmosphere of stillness. The mountains are stylized and simplified, yet they evoke a sense of grandeur. Roerich’s work reminds me of Marsden Hartley’s landscapes. Both artists were interested in creating a spiritual connection with nature and their paintings are more about essence than detail. I like how Roerich leaves a lot unsaid. It’s like he’s inviting us to meet him halfway, to bring our own feelings and experiences to the table. That’s what painting should do, right?