Star of Mother of the World 1924

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, Star of the Mother of the World, with oil on canvas. Imagine him layering those cool blues and greens, building up the image in thin washes, almost like watercolor. I wonder if Roerich felt a sense of peace painting this scene, thinking about the vastness of the landscape and the small figures making their way through it. There's something meditative about the repetitive brushstrokes in the sky. It's not quite pointillism, but it has that same calming, rhythmic effect. The paint isn't thick or showy, but instead, quiet, and understated. Think about the line of camels, each one a stroke of intention. The way they move across the dunes, it reminds me of other landscape painters who were capturing the sublime, but Roerich brings his own spiritual quest. The quest is quiet though, the light, small and bright. Roerich's work often explores themes of spirituality and the interconnectedness of all things. Artists are always in conversation, aren't they?