Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich

Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on October 9, 1874, the first-born son of lawyer and notary, Konstantin Roerich and his wife Maria. He was raised in the comfortable environment of an upper middle-class Russian family with its advantages of contact with the writers, artists, and scientists who often came to visit the Roerichs. At an early age he showed a curiosity and talent for a variety of activities. When he was nine, a noted archeologist came to conduct explorations in the region and took young Roerich on his excavations of the local tumuli. The adventure of unveiling the mysteries of forgotten eras with his own hands sparked an interest in archeology that would last his lifetime. Through other contacts he developed interests in collecting prehistoric artifacts, coins, and minerals, and built his own arboretum for the study of plants and trees.

While still quite young, Roerich showed a particular aptitude for drawing, and by the time he reached the age of sixteen he began to think about entering the Academy of Art and pursuing a career as an artist. His father did not consider painting to be a fit vocation for a responsible member of society, however, and insisted that his son follow his own steps in the study of law. A compromise was reached, and in the fall of 1893 Nicholas enrolled simultaneously in the Academy of Art and at St. Petersburg University.

In 1895 Roerich met the prominent writer, critic, and historian, Vladimir Stasov. Through him he was introduced to many of the composers and artists of the time -- Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky, and the basso Fyodor Chaliapin. At concerts at the Court Conservatory he heard the works of Glazunov, Liadov, Arensky, Wagner, Scriabin, and Prokofiev for the first time, and an avid enthusiasm for music was developed. Wagner in particular appealed to him, and later, during his career as a theater designer, he created designs for most of that composer's operas. Moreover, musical terms and analogies can appropriately be applied to Roerich's painting. He frequently related music to the use of color and color harmonies, and applied this sense to his designs for opera.

The late 1890's saw a blossoming in Russian arts, particularly in St. Petersburg, where the avant-garde was forming groups and alliances, led by the young Sergei Diaghilev, who was among the first to appreciate his talents as a painter and student of the Russian past.

One of Diaghilev's first achievements was the founding, with Princess Maria Tenisheva and others, of the magazine The World of Art. This magazine enjoyed a relatively short life but had an important influence in Russian art circles. The magazine declared itself the enemy of the academicians, the sentimentalists, and the realists. It introduced to its readership, which was made up mostly of the intelligentsia, the vital elements of Russian artistic circles, European post-impressionism, and the modernist movement. Roerich contributed to it and sat on its editorial board. Other Russian painters involved were Alexandre Benois and Leon Bakst, who later became Roerich's co-workers in the early days of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

After finishing his university thesis, Roerich planned to set off for a year in Europe to visit the museums, exhibitions, studios, and salons of Paris and Berlin. Just before leaving he met Helena, daughter of the architect Shaposhnikov and niece of the composer Mussorgsky. There seems to have been an immediate mutual attraction, and they were soon engaged to be married. On his return from Europe their marriage took place.

Born in pre-revolutionary Saint Petersburg, Russia to the family of a well-to-do notary public, he lived around the world until his death in Punjab, India. Trained as an artist and a lawyer, his interests lay in literature, philosophy, archaeology and especially art.

Nicholas Roerich is famous for his series of pictures such as Russian Towns (1903-1904), Ocean (1922), Sancta (1922), His Country (1924), Sikkim (1924), Banners of the East (1924-1925), Himalayan (1924), Sanctuaries and Citadels (1925), Maitreya (1926), Lakes and Gilgit Path (1925), etc. As for me, I like the majority of his works, but most of all I am keen on paintings that belong to three series (His Country, Himalayan and Lakes and Gilgit Path).

And most of all I would like to draw your attention to one painting called She Who Leads (from His Country). Have you ever seen it? No…well, then I’ll try to describe it and emotions that this work emotionalizes.(You also can see it on the left.)

When I saw this work for the first time I could not look away. Sudden feeling of tranquillity and pacification appeared in my heart. It seemed that time stopped and the whole world became infinite and quiet. As most of Roerich’s works this one is pastel shades. From my point of view, it is palette of the painting that gives us the sense of calmness. In the foreground we can see a woman and a man. She is the picture of kindness, loftiness, patience and calmness. We do not know who are they to each other…but suppose that she waits somebody who she really loves. And obviously this man is not that very somebody. Maybe he loves her or just wishes her to become his. In the background we see spaciousness of mountains. I believe that author wanted to show how people are small and that the nature is greater and more eternal. Perhaps, the mountains reveal the love that exists between this woman and that somebody. This feeling is immeasurable, timeless…

Usually on Roerich’s works we can not notice brush strokes. And possibly, his paintings are a bit unnatural and unrealistic, but nevertheless, I think they reveal the real beauty of mountains, ponds, riers, people and the whole world around us…