The artwork titled “Monastery in the Mountains,” created by Nicholas Roerich in 1931, is a piece belonging to the Art Movement of Symbolism. This landscape painting is part of Roerich’s “Kuluta” series.
The artwork depicts a serene and majestic view of a monastery situated amidst towering mountains. The composition is dominated by abstract and geometric forms that represent the monastery’s structure, which contrasts with the organic shapes of the surrounding natural elements. Above, expansive and dramatic clouds float across a vibrant blue sky, imparting a sense of tranquility and introverted contemplation. The use of color and form exudes an ethereal and mystical atmosphere, characteristic of Roerich’s symbolic approach to representing subjects of spiritual significance.