Monhegan (study) 1922

This is Nicholas Roerich's study of Monhegan, likely made with graphite on paper. It’s all about the push and pull of lines defining the landscape, a real dance between what's seen and what's felt. I can almost see Roerich out there, squinting at the scene, quickly capturing the bones of the landscape. Imagine him, maybe battling the wind, trying to nail down the essence of those rugged rocks. Notice the scribbled notes alongside the lines! It's like he's trying to speak the landscape into existence, mixing observation with something more internal. It reminds me that every sketch is a conversation, a way of thinking through making. And in that sense, Roerich’s Monhegan connects to a whole history of artists trying to capture the elusive spirit of a place, one sketch at a time.