Himalayas 

Nicholas Roerich painted the Himalayas, inspired by his travels through the East. In this striking composition, we observe the recurring symbol of the mountain. Since time immemorial, mountains have symbolized transcendence, spiritual aspiration, and the meeting point between the earthly and the divine. Think of Mount Olympus in ancient Greece, the dwelling of the gods. In the East, mountains are sacred places, where hermits seek enlightenment. The symbolic weight of the mountain is never static. As civilizations evolve, so too does the mountain's significance. It is not merely a geographical feature but a vessel of collective memory, an emotional touchstone. We find this reverence mirrored in the work of Caspar David Friedrich, whose mountain peaks echo with Romantic longing and the sublime. Here, Roerich presents a profound meditation on humanity's eternal quest for higher knowledge. The mountains remind us that symbols are never truly lost; they are merely transmuted, awaiting rediscovery by receptive souls.