A good tree has grown 1914

Editor: This is “A good tree has grown,” a watercolor painting by Nicholas Roerich from 1914. It’s wonderfully symmetrical and the colors feel muted, almost ancient. What sort of symbols are at play here? Curator: Indeed. It's hard not to immediately notice the vibrant yet stylized birds –notice how they echo and mirror each other around this tree-like structure? Birds, across cultures, are potent symbols, often representing the soul, freedom, or even divine messengers. The fact that they’re presented in such a symmetrical, almost heraldic way, suggests a very deliberate invocation. What feeling do you get from the central circular shape? Editor: It’s got what looks like a trident in it – maybe it means power or the sea? I'm curious if Roerich might be referring to the underworld or life itself? Curator: That’s a perceptive observation. It's quite similar to ancient depictions of sacred knowledge, which represents cosmic balance. Seeing that image centrally located suggests that “the good tree” provides life and continuity for all the realms and creatures shown. How does that affect your reading? Editor: That actually makes perfect sense! The way the painting’s set up creates this narrative of all kinds of beings finding shelter within this larger cycle. The image isn’t just beautiful; it feels like a blessing. Curator: Precisely! And perhaps that’s the beauty of symbolism. A good image accumulates meaning through our subjective responses to collective, timeless symbols. Editor: Thank you, it makes the artwork so much richer to understand all that it represents.