Teacher's order 1931

Nicholas Roerich created this painting, "Teacher's Order," with tempera, probably spending hours layering the blues and purples to evoke this expansive landscape. I feel like I’m right there with him in the studio, picturing him dabbing the brush, and pushing the paint around. That little figure perched on the edge of the mountain looks as though he is dwarfed by the landscape. Roerich uses a cool palette, allowing a few areas of warmer hues, such as the light pink mountain in the distance and the peach cloud, which brings some vibrancy to the piece. He was so prolific, and I feel like he might have been on a roll, with paintings just pouring out of him. The subtle tonality and light remind me of early Rothko, before he got all dark and broody. I wonder if they ever met? Anyway, this painting sits so well within the esoteric, spiritual body of work that Roerich produced, reminding us that paintings are alive and always in conversation with each other.