Rostov Veliky. Interior of church of Savior. 1903

Nicholas Roerich made this painting of the interior of the Church of the Savior, in Rostov Veliky, with oil on canvas. Look at those buttery strokes of gold paint, dolloped onto the columns! I can almost feel Roerich there, wrestling with how to capture the light. Imagine him, squinting, mixing ochre and raw sienna, trying to get that shimmer just right. It’s thick, almost sculptural. The dark doorway is so heavy and still. What stories could it tell? It reminds me of other painters who chase after light like Monet or even Rothko, although Roerich is definitely doing his own thing. There's something solid here, a groundedness in the face of the sublime. It is as if he is building a monument with paint. Painting is like a conversation across time, isn't it? Each artist adding their voice, their vision. It is an ongoing exploration.