Ledenets 1919

Nicholas Roerich made this drawing, Ledenets, with pencil on paper. It looks like he’s feeling his way into this scene, starting with hesitant lines, like he’s asking himself, "What is this place? How can I capture it?" You can almost see him squinting, trying to make sense of the shapes and forms before him. I can see the buildings, the shadows, the way the light hits the surfaces. It reminds me of my own process, where I start with a vague idea and then let the materials guide me, trusting my intuition to lead the way. Roerich wasn't just copying what he saw, he was interpreting it, making it his own, and by extension, he allows us to see the world through his eyes. It's like he's saying, "Here, look at this. What do you see? What does it make you feel?" And that, to me, is the magic of painting.