“Guru Kambala,” a landscape masterpiece by Nicholas Roerich, was created in 1940 using tempera on canvas. This Symbolist artwork, measuring 91.4 x 152.3 cm, is housed in the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork depicts a solitary figure, presumably a guru, traversing through a formidable, icy mountain landscape. The mountains, rendered in deep, rich shades of blue, dominate the composition, reflecting a sense of grandeur and mysticism. The figure, small in comparison to the vastness of the mountains, appears resilient and steadfast in the face of the overwhelming terrain, highlighting the theme of human perseverance in the spiritual journey. The use of tempered blues infuses the scene with a cold, ethereal atmosphere, aligning with Roerich’s Symbolist movement, which often conveys deeper spiritual and philosophical meanings through imagery.
