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Praised as “the wizard of eastern landscapes” by the
noted art scholar O C Gangoly, Nicholas Roerich was a
writer, theosophist, and prolific artist from Russia, who
made India his home. Roerich’s contribution to Indian
art was so great that he is the only artist of foreign origin
whose works have been declared national art treasures.
The present lot, titled
Himalayas
was painted during
his final years when he resided in Naggar, a village in
the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, and captures the
essence of his oeuvre.
Roerich’s paintings from the late 1930s through the early
part of 1940s depict the glorious subtleties reflected in
the myriad tones and hues of the Himalayan landscape.
The present lot is dominated by a single, blue palette.
Roerich masterfully captures the way the sun paints
certain facets of the icy mountains in bright light, while
enshrouding its neighbouring terrain in nuanced degrees
of darkness. The inclusions of light pink and purple
tones indicate a soft, twilight presence, suggesting that
this particular moody scene is one of many visions the
Himalayas has to offer. This expert execution of the
interplay between light and shadow, and the faithful
representation—without being completely realistic—of
his beloved subject, earned Roerich the honoured title of
the “Master of Mountains.”
Nicholas Roerich, Naggar, India, 1932–33
Image courtesy of Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York
“Where can one have such joy as when the sun is upon the Himalayas,
when the blue is more intense than sapphires, when from the far
distance, the glaciers glitter as incomparable gems!”
NICHOLAS ROERICH