St. Moritz 1923

Nicholas Roerich captured St. Moritz with paint on canvas. The towering mountains, capped with snow, stand as silent witnesses to the passage of time and the enduring power of nature. Mountains, throughout history, are symbols of aspiration, transcendence, and spiritual enlightenment, appearing in myths and sacred texts across cultures. Think of Mount Olympus in Greek mythology, or Mount Meru in Buddhist cosmology – places where gods reside and mortals seek wisdom. In this painting, the mountain becomes a stage, echoing landscapes by Caspar David Friedrich, where figures commune with nature, seeking the sublime. Roerich’s mountains are a meeting point between the earthly and the divine, where snow-capped peaks touch the sky. This representation acts as a powerful force, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, evoking feelings of awe, wonder, and a deep connection to the natural world. The mountain has resurfaced and evolved through time, taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.