Guardian of desert 1941

Nicholas Roerich made "Guardian of Desert" with paint, probably watercolor, to get that glowy look. The whole thing feels like a process, like he's layering color upon color to get this effect of light. And the surface is smooth, not much texture, but you can see the way the colors blend and bleed into each other. Look at the hills in the foreground. They have these streaks of gold and brown, like the light is hitting them just right. It's almost like Roerich is trying to capture a feeling, not just a place. That lone figure on the hill—it’s kind of mysterious, right? You can’t really tell what it is or what it’s guarding, but it definitely adds to the mood. Roerich was really interested in spiritual and mystical stuff. His landscapes are always kind of otherworldly. It reminds me a bit of Hilma af Klint, you know? That same sense of trying to paint something beyond what we can see.