Jerusalem 1909

Nicholas Roerich made this drawing, Jerusalem, using graphite or charcoal, and, looking at it, I’m struck by the way simple materials can evoke a whole world. There's something so immediate and intuitive about drawing, especially when it's just black and white. The marks here, a mix of smudged, hazy lines and distinct, sharp edges, give the scene an ethereal, dreamlike quality. Notice how Roerich uses the texture of the paper to his advantage, allowing the grain to show through, which adds depth to the cloudy sky. The varying pressure of the pencil creates a range of tones, from the stark white of the buildings to the deep shadows under the arches, which really brings the ancient city to life. There’s a kinship I feel with artists like Hilma af Klint, who embraced their own visual language to convey the unseen. Roerich's Jerusalem doesn't aim for photorealistic accuracy. Instead, it invites us to imagine the city, making the experience deeply personal.