St.Olga of Kyiv 1915

Nicholas Roerich made this tempera on canvas, St. Olga of Kyiv, and it feels like he did so with the fervor of a graphic novel. Look at how these figures and shapes are outlined so boldly, almost daringly. There is something about the flatness, the way the pattern and architecture collide, that feels distinctly stage-like, as if Olga is standing in front of a set. I love the little sunbeams that radiate out from her halo. You know, I can imagine Roerich, sleeves rolled up, carefully mixing his tempera paints, each pigment chosen for its symbolic weight as much as its visual punch. The way he applies the paint—thin and deliberate—suggests he is trying to capture something ancient and enduring, like an icon. It makes me want to grab my brushes and enter into my own conversation with history.