Armageddon 1936

Nicholas Roerich made this painting, Armageddon, using thin paint and a very limited palette of blues. It almost looks like a dream or a memory. The way Roerich handles paint is interesting. It’s not about showing off skill; instead, it feels more like a kind of meditative practice, a process of feeling and responding to the world. The texture isn’t really about texture at all; it’s a flat and even surface, like a backdrop in a play. This makes the emotional impact even stronger because it’s all about the forms and the way they relate to each other. Look at how the dark silhouettes of the figures contrast with the airy castle floating behind them. The dark figures seem to be reaching towards it, maybe hoping for salvation. It’s like a collective desire or fear, painted with such simple means. Roerich's work reminds me of Hilma af Klint who was making spiritual paintings at the same time but with a very different visual language. Ultimately, art is just about continuing the conversation, right? There is no right or wrong answer.