The artwork titled “White City” is a piece by Nicholas Roerich, a distinguished artist known for his contributions to the Symbolist movement. Created in the year 1916, this artwork can be classified within the genre of religious painting. Despite its historical significance and artistic value, it is noted with regret that the original artwork has been destroyed, thereby depriving contemporary audiences of the chance to witness it in person.
The artwork in question portrays a serene and ethereal scene that resonates with spiritual and mystical overtones characteristic of Symbolism. A central figure, cloaked in armor and exuding an aura of serenity and strength, stands prominently in the foreground. Behind this figure, a city constructed in white materializes, its pristine structures cascading atop a hill, suggesting perhaps a semblance of divinity or otherworldliness. The setting is enveloped in a misty atmosphere, which lends the depiction an aspect of transcendence, inviting contemplation on themes of purity, peace, and higher ideals. The achromatic palette and atmospheric perspective amplify the painting’s evocative and metaphysical nature, arousing a sense of introspection about the spiritual journey and mankind’s quest for enlightenment or salvation.