Nicholas Roerich

Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on October 9, 1874. He was a Russian painter, writer, archaeologist, theosophist, philosopher, and public figure. He was deeply influenced by the whole movement in Russian society, the reflections of which are even felt in his paintings. The works of this great painter are said to have hypnotic expression.

He started painting in 1904 beginning with Russian religious themes as he painted many saints and legends, Message to Tiron, Fiery Furnace and The Last Angel. Some common themes, patterns, depictions are seen in his paintings like ‘the stone’ which features in a myriad of ways in his paintings and even his writings. Many titles of his works, carry the word ‘treasure’, like The Treasure of the Mountain and Hidden Treasure. The  treasure refers to the hidden spiritual treasure which is found in all His creations but is evident for only those who take time to dig it.  He was also intrigued by the archeological treasures of the Stone Age which became evident in in Three Glaives wherein the subject archeological. Moved by the contemporary world events, he sensed the cataclysm  and was able to paint the horrid scales of the  WWI conflict. His work the Battle of Heavens showed the brutal  contrast  of light and darkness as the deadly shadow of War engulfed Russia and Europe.