Himalayas 1938

Nicholas Roerich made this painting of the Himalayas with what looks like tempera or watercolor, a medium that invites spontaneity. The blues! They plunge you into the scene. Roerich wasn’t trying to capture a photograph; instead, he distilled a memory, a feeling of the place. Look at the white peaks. They're not just white, are they? They are stripes of blended blues, a kind of shimmer that hints at the cold air, the way light refracts off the ice. The painting feels direct, the marks are bold, without fuss. I love the way Roerich leaves the texture of the paper showing through. It is all part of the process and the experience of being there, in the elements. His painting reminds me of Agnes Martin's work; both artists use a kind of reductive approach to capture something essential. I find peace in that simplicity.