Oil painting inspired by Mongolia

The last two weeks have seen a flurry of activity from the students in the course regarding Asia. Everyone chose a country to specialise in, and for me, the choice stood between Japan and Mongolia. The latter was my final choice, but despite the two seemingly ample weeks of time, I struggled to meet the deadline. There was simply so very much to write about regarding the art history of that country. The archaeologist in me couldn't skim by the rock art and petroglyphs, nor the way the various religions had influenced artists.
In the end, for my painting this time, I chose not to be influenced by any particular art style of Mongolia, but rather by the country itself. From two photos I mixed up something of my own, and I am happy that the idea I had, and the painting itself, added up. I used oils, which was a relief after time and time again being forced to use acrylics. Nothing bad with acrylics, but I haven't had time or space or peace to give a painting my attention in the same way an oil painting requires. This time, however, I did.
I didn't go haywire with the paints this time either. Mostly I kept to Yellow Ochre, Paine's Grey, Sap Green and Caput Mortuum (reddish brown), as well as Mixed White. There are several others in there, but those were the ones I used the most. I have no qualms about using the white, I need it to dim the colour. The size of the painting was about right (F8), I wouldn't have minded a somewhat larger one, but this did the job.
Painting older people is one of the most fun things one can have. All the lines of the face are a joy to discover and portray. The title, "The Secret History of a Mongol" is of course a hint to "The Secret History of the Mongols", the oldest known written description of the history of Mongolia, and Chingghis Khan, but also to the old woman with her old eyes, a lifetime of experiences behind her, gazing out at the steppes of Mongolia.