Pskov churchyard 1904

Nicholas Roerich's ‘Pskov Churchyard’ is a painting of oil on canvas that feels both solid and ethereal. You can almost feel Roerich dabbing at the canvas, building up the planes of white and grey to make these Russian buildings loom into existence. I can imagine him, standing before these old buildings, trying to figure out how to make something that feels so permanent but is also made of light. I wonder what it was like for him, painting in the open air? How did he manage to catch the light? There’s a stillness here but also a sense of movement, like he was trying to capture something that was always changing. And the colors! Those subtle blues and greens peeking through the white, like secrets hidden beneath the surface. It reminds me of how we’re all connected, you know? Artists throughout time, all trying to make sense of the world in their own way. Painting is just one big conversation, and we're all invited to join in.