The artwork, titled “Star of Mother of the World,” was created by Nicholas Roerich in 1924. It is rendered in tempera on canvas and measures 89 x 117 cm. As an example of the Symbolism movement, this genre painting is part of Roerich’s “His country” series. Currently, the painting is housed in the Roerich Museum in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork depicts a serene and mystical desert landscape. Line upon line of rolling hills in muted tones of blue and green stretch across the canvas, creating a sense of vast, undulating space. A caravan of camels and their riders traverse the dunes, adding a human element to the tranquil scene. Above, the night sky is awash with deep blue hues and features a singularly bright star, which seems to guide the travelers on their journey. The painting evokes a sense of quiet pilgrimage and spiritual searching, encapsulating the Symbolist objective of expressing deeper truths and emotions through the use of allegory and suggestion.
