Tanghla. Song Shambhala Roerich N.K. (Part 6)
Roerich N.K. – Tanghla. Song Shambhala
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Location: The State Museum of Oriental Art, Moscow (Государственный музей искусства народов Востока).
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Before us is a painting by Nikolai Roerich, painted in the late period of the artist’s work. The work is part of a collection of paintings devoted to the Himalayas. Roerich personally observed these mountain landscapes during his expedition to the East. The mountains depicted in the painting attract the eye. The variety of colors used by Nicholas Roerich is striking. All the colors are slightly muted, but nevertheless they are bright and saturated, conveying the inner world of the artist.
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Description of the painting "Song of Shambhala" by Nikolai Roerich
Before us is a painting by Nikolai Roerich, painted in the late period of the artist’s work. The work is part of a collection of paintings devoted to the Himalayas. Roerich personally observed these mountain landscapes during his expedition to the East.
The mountains depicted in the painting attract the eye. The variety of colors used by Nicholas Roerich is striking. All the colors are slightly muted, but nevertheless they are bright and saturated, conveying the inner world of the artist. This riot of color is the very song that played in the artist’s soul when he saw these mountains with his own eyes.
The mountain slope is depicted in the foreground. It is already dark and the sunlight has ceased to illuminate this part of the mountain range. The mountains are shown now ochre, now blue-black. Due to the constant refraction of lines, it seems that the mountains cut each other. It’s as if they merge, fuse, forming bizarre forms.
And then there is the fog. It covers the modest plain, which is clearly dislocated from the texture of the rocky mountains. The artist pays little attention to this valley. The main thing is the snow-white mountains ahead. They, like snow giants, grow in the depths of the picture. And all around is a crimson sunset framing the dangerous but so majestic cliffs.
On the mountain closest to us, a human figure is drawn. It is a man or a young lad. He is wearing traditional red clothing and a hat. He is sitting lonely at the very top of a low mountain, singing. It has clearly been very difficult for him to climb so high up the mountain. But he’s not complaining. His whole life is devoted to these mountains. But he does not serve the gods; he has devoted his soul to the search for truth. His gaze is fixed on the distance, far above the horizon. He praises the beauty of Shambhala. The man, like Roerich, wants to know the mystery of the lost state.
Roerich and his family spent many years in the mountains of India, China, Tibet and Mongolia. And he didn’t miss a single opportunity to paint a picture celebrating the beauty of those mountain ranges.
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The terrain itself is characterized by angular, stylized mountains rendered in shades of ochre, brown, and grey. These forms are not depicted with naturalistic detail; instead, they possess a geometric quality that lends an almost architectural feel to the landscape. A body of water stretches across the middle ground, its surface reflecting the vibrant sky above. The shoreline is jagged and irregular, echoing the sharp contours of the mountains.
The sky occupies a significant portion of the canvas, transitioning from deep violet at the top to intense pinks and reds towards the horizon. This dramatic coloration creates an atmosphere of heightened emotion – perhaps suggesting awe, mystery, or even spiritual transcendence. The light appears diffused, lacking strong directional shadows, which contributes to the painting’s dreamlike quality.
The artists use of simplified shapes and bold colors suggests a deliberate departure from realism. It is not merely a depiction of a place but rather an evocation of a mood or state of mind. The solitary figure could be interpreted as representing humanity’s relationship with nature, highlighting the contrast between individual existence and the immensity of the cosmos. The paintings overall effect is one of quiet grandeur, inviting reflection on themes of solitude, spirituality, and the sublime power of the natural world. There is a sense of distance, both physical and emotional, conveyed through the scale and composition; it feels as if the viewer is observing from afar, privy to a scene of profound significance.