Sketch of Tsar Dodon 1916

This sketch of Tsar Dodon was made by Nicholas Roerich with what looks like graphite on paper, though we don't know exactly when. It's interesting to think about what Roerich might have been trying to capture here; the barest essence of a character, the initial spark of an idea. Look at the energy in those lines! They're searching, almost vibrating with potential. I wonder if he was trying to get the pose, or a feeling. The sketch feels very free. It reminds me that making art is always a process of discovery, and how one thing leads to another; a conversation between artists across time, each inspiring the other's creativity. This work is like a thought made visible, a glimpse into the mind of an artist at work. Painting embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.