Nicholas Roerich Article Index for
Nicholas
Website Links For
Nicholas
 

Information About

Nicholas Roerich




Nicholas Roerich, ( Николай Константинович Рёрих), was a Russian Painter and Spiritual Teacher . He was the father of Tibetologist George Roerich (a.k.a. Yuri Roerich) and artist Svetoslav Roerich . Nicholas and his wife Helena Roerich were co-founders of the Theosophical Agni Yoga Society .

Born in pre- Revolutionary St. 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 a Lawyer , his interests lay in Literature , Philosophy , Archaeology and especially Art .

He first visited New York City in 1920 . After touring the United States , he and his wife settled in the city, founding the Master Institute Of The United Arts , They also joined various theosophical societies and their activities in these groups dominated their lives.

After leaving New York, Roerich toured Asia , settling in India in 1928 where he founded an archaeological research center, the Himalayan Research Institute. In 1929 Nicholas Roerich was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the University Of Paris . (He received a second nomination in 1935.) His concern for peace led to his creation of the Pax Cultura , the " Red Cross " of art and culture. His work in this area also led the United States and the twenty other members of the Pan-American Union to sign the Roerich Pact on April 15 , 1935 . The Roerich Pact is an early international instrument protecting Cultural Property . Roerich's influence on his devotee cabinet secretary Henry A. Wallace led to the inclusion of the Great Seal Of The United States on the U.S. Dollar Bill known for the depiction of the Great Pyramid topped with an all-seeing eye — a religious, occult and Masonic symbol. the Healer, 1916.]]

Today, the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York City is the artistic center of Roerich's work. Numerous Rerikh societies continue to promote his theosophical teachings worldwide. His painting can be seen in several museums including a collection in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and a selection featuring several of his larger works in The Latvian National Museum Of Art .

A recent source of information about the spiritual journeys of Nicholas and Helena Roerich is a book called "Wayfarers" by Ruth Drayer. Also see Jacqueline Decter's biography, "Messenger of Beauty"; Kenneth Archer, "Nicholas Roerich: East and West"; and scholarly articles by John McCannon, as well as his "Searching for Shambhala," in the magazine "Russian Life."


SEE ALSO




EXTERNAL LINKS