Nicholas Roerich (1874 - 1947)

[Евгений]

Russia painter, theater artist, archaeologist, traveler, writer and public figure. Nicholas Roerich - father orientalist YN Roerich (1902-1960) and artist SN Roerich (1904-1991). Translated from the Scandinavian name Roerich means rich glory. According to family legend, its origin refers to the Vikings. One of the oldest members of the genus Roerich in the XIII century led the Knights Templar Order, among the ancestors of NK Roerich was policy and military commanders.

Nicholas Roerich was born Oct. 9 (old style - 27 September) 1874 in St. Petersburg, the son of a notary of the District Court of St. Petersburg (from 1873). Father Nicholas Roerich, Konstantin Fedorovich, in 1860 married Mary Vasil Kalashnikova and settled with her in St. Petersburg - in a mansion on the waterfront Nikolayev (now University), which opened his own law firm.

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In addition to Nicholas, the family had three children: younger brothers, Boris and Vladimir, and older sister Lydia. Together with his family lived and paternal grandfather, Fyodor Ivanovich (died at age 105 years), has a collection of Masonic symbols. Summer and winter holidays Roerich family spent at a country manor Izvara acquired Konstantin Roerich in 1872 from Count Semen Vorontsov (known as "Izvara" was given to the estate Vorontsov after returning from a trip to India, in Sanskrit means "God" or "Divine Spirit" ). In 1883 Nicholas Roerich passed the entrance exams in one of the best and most expensive private schools, St. Petersburg - the gymnasium of Carl von May. Examinations have been deposited with such ease that the background in May said: "There will be a professor!". Most subjects were taught in German. Among the variety of hobbies Nicholas was drawing, geography, history, archeology, mineral collecting, horseback riding, hunting. The first drawing teacher was a friend of his father Nicholas - Artist Michael Mikeshin.
In 1893 Nicholas Roerich entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he studied at the AI Kuindzhi (graduated in 1897). Simultaneously, by assumption, expressed by a father who wanted his son a more practical education, Nikolay entered the law faculty at State University (graduated in 1898), a course of History and Philology. Along with teaching at the University of Nicholas Roerich earns illustrating magazines "Zvezda" and "World illustration and icon painting, having received orders from several churches. In 1897, NK Roerich among other students Kuindzhi left the Academy in protest against the dismissal of his favorite teacher and continues to work initiated a series of paintings on themes of life of the ancient Slavs ( "Beginning of Russia. Slavs"). The ancient chronicles and books began to study more thoroughly in 1895, when met VV Stasov, headed the art department at the Public Library. Even in years of study at the University of Roerich became a member of the Russian Archaeological Society.

After finishing his studies at the Academy and the University became assistant editor of the magazine's own Stasova "Art and art industry", article published in the magazine, signing a pseudonym R. Outcast. Supported Stasova became assistant director of the Museum Society for the Promotion of Artists. First visit of Nicholas Roerich was carried out on the boat in the summer of 1899 from St. Petersburg to Novgorod on the great waterway, which over a thousand years ago the Vikings sailed barges Vikings. In 1900, Konstantin Roerich died, Maria Roerich Izvara sold, and the money Nicholas was able to deliver long-awaited dream come true - in September he went to study in Paris, on the way stopped in Berlin, Dresden and Munich. In the workshop historical painter Fernand Cormon Nicholas Roerich studied until mid-1901, returning in the summer in Russia. October 28, 1901 in the Church of the Imperial Academy of Arts, in six hours in the afternoon, Nicholas Roerich and Helena Shaposhnikov, learned about the summer of 1899, became husband and wife. Helena, the niece of Princess Putyatina, was five years younger than Nicholas Roerich. On the rest of her life she would be his "druginey and inspiration, and he would call her" Lada ", an ancient Russian name, which to him sounded" harmony, inspiration and strength. " To provide for the family, in the same 1901 Roerich proposed its candidature for the post of Secretary of Society of Promotion of artists and was admitted to the post, despite the presence of other, more senior and experienced applicants. The summer of 1903 Roerich and his wife traveled to Russia, visiting twenty-seven cities. The purpose of travel was to study the ancient architecture. Results trips were represented at the exhibition of architectural sketches Roerich Museum, which opened in the Society of Encouragement of Artists in January 1904. Nicholas II, who visited the exhibition and wished that the whole series became a museum of Alexander III (now the Russian Museum), but the day of his visit to Russia declared war on Japan, and the case remained unresolved. That same year, seventy sketches and a few other paintings of Nicholas Roerich was sent to America as part of the Russian exposition at the exhibition and sale in the city of Saint-Louis (paintings returned to Russia only after seventy years of age).

Since 1906 - Director of the Drawing School in this society (before 1918). Since 1909 - Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. In 1910-1919 - Chairman of the World of Art ". By the 1917 revolution NK Roerich treated sympathetically, was a member of the Commission on the Arts, established in March 1917 under the chairmanship AM Gorky. In May 1917, in connection with severe lung disease, Nicholas Roerich was forced to leave the Karelian isthmus.

In the spring of 1918 he lived abroad: in the early 20-ies in the U.S. since 1923, with interruptions, and in 1936 all the time - in India. In 1918, NK Roerich traveled throughout Finland, Norway, Denmark, England, with an exhibition of his works, and in 1920 went to America, where his work enjoyed especially great success. In the 20's and 30-ies made two great expeditions to Central and East Asia (in 1924-1928, together with his wife Helena Roerich and his son George Roerich, and in 1934-1935). In 1926, visited Moscow, was in the Altai. In 1929, together with his son, founded the Institute of Himalayan Research ( "Urusvati") in Nagar. Since 20-ies Nicholas Roerich led educational activities to raise worldwide awareness of the cause of protection of cultural monuments (on the basis put forward their so-called Roerich Pact in 1954 in The Hague had signed the Final Act of the International Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, ratified by many countries, including the USSR). In 1942-1944 he was honorary president of the American-Russian Cultural Association. NK Roerich died Dec. 13, 1947 in the village of Nagar (valley of Kulu, Punjab, India). In 1991 in Moscow established the International Center of the Roerich (converted from the Soviet fund Roerich).

Among the literary works of Nicholas Roerich - poetry, prose, essay: "The legal status of artists in the Ancient Rus' (1898, diploma thesis at the Faculty of St. Petersburg State University)," Flowers of Moria "(1921, poems)," Blessing Way " (1924), "Heart of Asia" (1929), "The Citadel of Flame" (1932), "inviolable" (1936), "The Gate to the Future" (1936), "Altai - the Himalayas," "artistic technique as applied to archeology" (lectures at St. Petersburg Archaeological Institute), articles on art and Antiquities

Nicholas Roerich - author of more than 7000 paintings, united in thematic cycles and series. Among the paintings by Nicholas Roerich - Mongolian, Tibetan, Himalayan series of mountain landscapes, symbolic compositions, a series of ninety paintings (monuments of ancient architecture): "The Messenger." Restore born on race "(from" The Slavs. Beginning of Russia ", the painting was brought to Roerich as a thesis for graduation from the Academy of Fine Arts, 1897; Tretyakov Gallery), "Hike" (1899), "Overseas visitors" (the subtitle - "Folk Art"; 1901; Tretyakov Gallery, the exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1902, now acquired by Tsar Nicholas II dedicating it to the Tsarskoe Selo palace), "Build a City" (1902, Tretyakov Gallery), "Battle in the Heavens", "Stone Age" (1910, whereabouts unknown), "a human forefathers" (1911, whereabouts unknown), "Scream snake" (1913, Pskov museum), "Grad doomed" (1914, whereabouts unknown), "The Sign" (1915; Odessa Art Museum), "Guga Chohan" (1931, Tretyakov Gallery), "Signs Gesera" (1940, Russian Museum) "Himalayas. Nanda Devi (1941, Russian Museum), "Tibet. Monastery "(1942, Russian Museum)," Remember "(1945, Russian Museum). Among the works in the field of theatrical and decorative painting - scenery of the opera The Maid of Pskov by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1909), the drama" Peer Gynt " H. Ibsen (1912), ballet "The Rite of Spring" Stravinsky (1913), M. Maeterlinck's play, "Sister Beatrice" (1914), the opera "Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin (1914; Russian Seasons C. Diaghilev). Among the works of monumental art - sketches for church frescoes and mosaics: the Church of the Holy Spirit in Talashkino (1914), majolica painted friezes and panels in private osobnyakah.S 1906 Nicholas Roerich wrote in tempera, with 20 -- ies - mostly synthetic dyes. 10 years after the death of Nicholas Roerich, more than 400 works he created in India, according to the will of Nicholas Roerich was transferred to the museums of the USSR.