People (Old man) 1913

Nicholas Roerich made this watercolor, “People (Old Man),” likely as a costume design, a quick gesture of the hand to conjure this figure in white, red and brown. You can feel the brushstrokes sketching the form. I imagine Roerich hunched over a table, maybe with a cup of tea nearby, trying to capture the essence of this old man with just a few strokes of paint. The white areas are not simply left blank; instead, they are activated with subtle variations that create depth and form. It reminds me of some of my own paintings, where I leave areas raw, letting the canvas breathe. There’s something endearing about the way Roerich emphasizes the details of the old man's attire, almost like he is creating a character through color and design. You know, this piece speaks to the way artists borrow and build upon each other’s ideas over time. It’s all one big conversation, really, this endless exchange that keeps pushing us forward.