Mystery of walls 1920

Nicholas Roerich made this enigmatic landscape painting, "Mystery of Walls," using oil on canvas. The dominant marks are these sturdy, geometric shapes. The palette? Warm oranges and yellows bumping up against cool blues and purples. Imagine Roerich, layering these colours, almost like he's building the scene brick by brick. I can sense him, trying to capture the way light can change stone. It makes me wonder what he might have been thinking. Maybe something about the mysteries held within the walls of buildings. Like, what stories could they tell, if only they could speak? There's a road leading somewhere, but those figures are dressed in dark colours. Where are they going? Roerich's work reminds me of other painters that were exploring spiritual themes. But here, it's almost dreamlike. It’s not just about what's seen. It’s a place of imagination. The artwork offers a feeling of wonder, and a touch of melancholy, too. You are invited to bring your own mystery.