Himalayas 1938

Nicholas Roerich made this painting of the Himalayas most likely with thin washes of watercolour. I can imagine the artist, mixing a pale pink wash, waiting for it to dry, and then building up the image from background to foreground. The peaks are like ghostly triangular shapes, and the overall effect is both calming and otherworldly. You can see how Roerich simplified the mountains into smooth, curved shapes, kind of like giant sleeping bodies. This is definitely more about feeling than description. You know, Roerich was really into philosophy and spirituality, so I wonder if he was trying to capture the essence of these mountains, not just what they looked like. Painters often look to each other, riffing on themes or techniques. Like, how many artists have painted mountains? It's like we're all part of this big conversation across time, each adding our own little brushstroke to the story of painting.