The artwork, titled “Sissu Monastery,” was created by Nicholas Roerich in 1932. Belonging to the Symbolism art movement, this piece is a landscape painting that exemplifies Roerich’s distinctive style and thematic preferences.
The artwork depicts a serene and mystical landscape, dominated by the imposing structure of the Sissu Monastery set against a dramatic mountainous backdrop. The scene is bathed in soft, ethereal light, enhancing the symbolic and contemplative atmosphere typical of Roerich’s oeuvre. The monastery sits atop a rugged terrain, its solid, angular forms contrasting starkly with the smooth, flowing lines of the surrounding mountains and hills. The composition draws the viewer’s eye toward the distant peaks, which are rendered in delicate, muted hues, creating a sense of depth and vastness. The use of color and light in the artwork imparts a feeling of tranquility and timelessness, inviting contemplation and reverence.
