Tibetian lama 1927

Nicholas Roerich’s ‘Tibetan Lama’ is a print of some kind, maybe a lithograph, that renders the subject in soft yellows and browns, offset by areas of cool blue. It’s interesting how the face of the lama and the mountainous landscape behind him are so subtly marked, suggesting a landscape of the mind. The print has an all-over evenness, a kind of velvety texture that creates a feeling of quiet contemplation. Look at the way the face is built up of tiny marks, a bit like Seurat’s pointillism, but without the high-key colour. The lama’s eyes are closed, but the landscape behind him seems to be actively emerging, coming into focus. Roerich’s palette and the way he simplifies the image reminds me of Marsden Hartley’s landscapes. Both artists seem to be reaching for something in the spiritual realm, a kind of transcendental experience, by flattening and simplifying the image, reducing it to its essential form.