Himalayas 1947

Nicholas Roerich painted “Himalayas” with tempera on cardboard, depicting the majestic mountain range as a symbol of spiritual aspiration and transformation. Notice how the peaks reach upwards, piercing the sky. Mountains have long been revered across cultures as sacred spaces where the earthly and divine realms meet. They evoke feelings of awe and reverence, often representing the path to enlightenment. Similar to how Medieval artists depicted the Virgin Mary standing on a mountain, these natural formations embody a kind of purity. Mountains appear in many traditions, from Mount Olympus in Greek mythology, to Mount Sinai in the Judeo-Christian tradition, each carrying emotional and psychological weight. In Roerich's work, the Himalayas serve as a powerful motif, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level, resonating with our collective memory of nature's sublime power. This cyclical progression of symbols resurfaces in different contexts and takes on new meanings, echoing through history.