Tibet # 36 Roerich N.K. (Part 4)

Description of the painting "Tibet. Himalayas."

The pictorial painting "Tibet. The Himalayas" was created by Roerich under the impression of the harsh winter he caught during his expedition through Central Asia. The work is imbued with admiration for the greatness of the mountains and the thrill of being in a sacred place. With love and restraint, the artist paints this island of traditional values, a remote cradle of cultural heritage, far away from the hustle and bustle and callousness of modern civilization.

The snow-covered peaks of Tibet and the cold winter sky occupy most of the composition. At the foot of it there are little houses of settlers, modest turrets of Buddhist temples, gilded by the soft light of the setting sun.

The canvas is painted in cold and subdued tones that do a good job of conveying the winter flavor. The artist worked with the techniques of tempera painting. This allowed the painting to be airy and misty, like a fading vision. The colors delicately transition from one to another, do not irritate the eye and seem to create a weightless cool haze.

The sky is created using the technique of color stretching. Transparent blue gradually descends and dissolves in the bright, gentle horizon, where the silhouettes of distant peaks can be guessed. Giant massifs create an image of calm confidence, inviolability and sublimity. They do not crush with their power, but invite to taste the world, alien to greed, avarice and other sinful vices.

In this fabulous land, the Tibetan settlement is perhaps the last stronghold of the pacified spirit. It is contemplation and wise submission to the unhurried flow of life, a conscious acceptance of oneself and the "wheel" of life, its laws and ancient mysteries.

The masterpiece of the great artist’s brush is kept in the open access "Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York, USA.