Monhegan (study) 1922

This is Nicholas Roerich’s pencil drawing of a tree. The marks are light, but they gather in places, creating a sense of depth and shadow. I can imagine Roerich outside, sketching this tree, maybe in the wind, the sun, or the rain. I think about the decisions he must have made. Which lines to emphasize? Which to leave out? It’s a conversation, isn’t it? The artist, the tree, the pencil, all talking to each other. I like how Roerich uses the pencil to describe the texture of the bark and the shape of the leaves. It’s economical and full of information. The image is a study, maybe for a larger painting, but it stands alone as a beautiful piece of observation. And that little scrawled signature at the bottom. It suggests a kind of confident humility, like he’s saying, ‘Yeah, I did this.’