Young men 1944

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, Young Men, with thin paint and with a deceptively simple style. I love the stillness and the way the figures are positioned. It feels like a stage set, a moment suspended in time. The archer pulls back the arrow; his companions watch. What are they thinking? Are they confident in the marksman's ability? The whole scene has a dreamlike quality, like a memory half-recalled. Roerich’s been on my mind recently, his colour palette, the soft edges of his paintings. He reminds me of Milton Avery in that way - the pared-down forms and how they create an atmosphere. There's something about the way Roerich flattens the space that I find really compelling. He creates a world that feels both ancient and timeless, a world where myth and reality intertwine. It feels like he's inviting us to enter his world, to become part of the story he's telling. He's not trying to capture reality, but rather, he is trying to create a reality of his own. It's like he's saying, "Here, come and dream with me."