Sorcerer 1905

Nicholas Roerich made this drawing, Sorcerer, using graphite on paper. I love how the cross-hatching gives volume to the figure, a sense of weight and solidity, but there are also such light touches around the face. I can imagine Roerich, in his studio, hunched over this drawing, pushing and pulling at the graphite, willing this character into being. What was he thinking about when he made it? Maybe he was trying to capture something elusive about the nature of power, the occult, or magic and mystery. Look at the man's hat. The way Roerich renders fur is fantastic; you can almost feel its rough texture. The strokes around the figure are imbued with such feeling and intention. Roerich’s drawing reminds us that artists don’t work in a vacuum. He's definitely looking at other drawings and other ways of depicting the human form. We are all always in conversation, each building upon the other’s creativity. Ultimately, Roerich’s drawing feels like an embodied expression, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.