The Visionary Art Of Nicholas Roerich

A fully illustrated biography of mystic, artist, and explorer Nicholas Roerich • Includes 88 color plates showcasing the variety of Roerich’s artistic talent, from breathtaking Himalayan landscapes to set and costume designs, most notably for Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring • Examines Roerich’s profound love for folk traditions of Russia, India, and Tibet and his spiritual quests across the Himalayan Mountains in search of beauty and the lost paradise of Shambala • Reveals how Roerich’s life and work significantly influenced the development of modern art and culture Nicholas Roerich (1874–1947) was a Russian artist, writer, archaeologist, explorer, mystic, theosophist, and peacemaker who left a rich legacy of nearly 7,000 visionary paintings and 30 books on the mystic East. Twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize due to the Roerich Peace Pact—a remarkable treaty signed by President Roosevelt that sought to preserve cultural monuments during times of war—Roerich had a profound love for folk traditions of Russia, India, and Tibet, especially legends of lost cities and paradise. Together with his wife and two sons, from the 1890s into the 1930s, Roerich embarked on a number of spiritual quests through India, the Gobi Desert, the Altai and Kunlun Mountains, Mongolia, and Tibet, crisscrossing the Himalayan Mountains many times before settling in Kulu, India, in the shadows of the great mountain range. Through his explorations throughout the world and the immersive art he created during those travels, he was seeking the grains of spiritual truth behind the legends of paradise lost, including during his pilgrimages in search of Shambala. Revealing the mystical world of Nicholas Roerich in stunning full color, Jacqueline Decter invites us to witness Roerich’s far-reaching vision and dedication to beauty across the full scope of his inspiring life and artistic career. This new hardcover edition features Decter’s translations of many Russian texts into English as well as 88 color plates showcasing the variety of Roerich’s artistic talent, from breathtaking Himalayan landscapes and spiritual themes to set and costume designs, most notably for Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. A celebration of Roerich as both visionary artist and visionary explorer, this fully illustrated biography illuminates a man whose life and work significantly influenced the development of modern art and culture.

A celebration of the artist, mystic, and Nobel nominee Nicholas Roerich, whose life and work significantly influenced the development of modern art and culture. Messenger of Beauty opens the door to the mystical world of Nicholas Roerich and invites us to witness his far-reaching vision. Artist, writer, educator, archaeologist, explorer, mystic, and peacemaker, Roerich (1874-1947) left a rich legacy of some 7,000 paintings, drawings, and set and costume designs (most notably for Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring); 30 books on the mystic East; and countless articles and lectures. The Roerich Peace Pact--a remarkable treaty signed by President Roosevelt and 26 other heads of state that sought to preserve cultural monuments during times of war--earned the artist a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Messenger of Beauty includes 88 color plates that cover the full scope of Roerich's artistic career, from ancient Slavic, mythic, and archaeological subjects to breathtaking Himalayan landscapes and religious themes that span the spiritual traditions of the world. First paperback edition of Nicholas Roerich: The Life and Art of a Russian Master

As a boy in Russia, Nicholas Roerich was captivated by a traveler's stories about Rigden Djapo, ruler of the mystical Himalayan kingdom of Shamballa. These ancient legends told of a time of trouble to come, when Rigden Djapo would assemble his warriors of light and fight a victorious battle over all darkness. Then an era of peace would begin. When Nicholas grew up, he fulfilled his dream of exploring Asia and becoming a warrior of light. In the 1920s, he led a five-year trek through Central Asia over many of the world's most dangerous mountain passes. While on the journey, he worked on several hundred paintings despite overwhelming obstacles. During his lifetime, he completed about seven thousand works of art. Not only was Nicholas Roerich a courageous explorer and a talented artist, but he was also a world leader in many professions. He was a scientist, he wrote 30 books and he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to preserve cultural institutions and landmarks during wartime. Twenty-one nations signed a treaty pledging to protect museums, universities, cathedrals and libraries that flew the Banner of Peace that Nicholas had designed. Warrior of Light tells the fascinating story of the remarkable boy who grew up to be a world-famous artist, explorer, author, scientist, philosopher and peacemaker.

Nicholas Roerich − philosopher, humanist and visionary artist who achieved international renown in the first half of the 20th century − left a prodigious artistic and cultural legacy to the world. Nehru, who in common with so many of his contemporaries was a great admirer of his lofty and noble works, said of him: “He is a creative genius”. In this painstaking and highly engaging study, Marie-Agnès Domin gives an account of the remarkable journey of this inspired individual, shining a light on the multiple facets of his talents as − among other things − painter, writer, archaeologist and educator. A great traveller, Nicholas Roerich led a cultural and scientific expedition to the heart of Asia, and founded prestigious cultural institutions. The unceasing struggle he also conducted − over several decades − for peace and for the safeguarding of Humanity’s cultural heritage, took on material form with the signing of a treaty that is still in force today. This book provides an opportunity to discover the unique work of Nicholas Roerich, which exudes a sense of eternity and is imbued with profound spirituality, bringing a message of Peace, Beauty and Unity.

In her latest title, Ruth Drayer provides a factual account of the two Russian visionaries who believed beauty could solve the world's problems and unify humanity. Partners in all things, charismatic Nicholas (1874-1947) was an internationally acclaimed artist, author, daring explorer, conservationist, archeologist, humanitarian and peacemaker, while his wife, Helena (1879 - 1955), was a teacher and healer as well as the inspired co-author of the 'Agni Yoga' series. This is the first book in English to interweave the Agni Yoga writings and the Roerichs' relationship with their spiritual teacher in with their fascinating travels, disclosing the long-hidden story of the Roerichs' connection with Tibetan Buddhism. Though it may read like a tale, Drayer takes us on the real-life adventures of the Roerichs as they travel to the most remote and dangerous regions of India, China, Mongolia, the Gobi, Tibet and Siberia. We bear witness as the couple flees the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 Russia and as they arrive in New York City in the fall of 1920 where they later founded the first school that teaches all of the arts under one roof. We experience their trials and tribulations as the Roerichs trek through the following years.

Traces the life and career of the Russian artist, examines the motivating forces behind his art, and offers reproductions of his paintings of ancient Slavic and mythic subjects, Himalayan landscapes, and religious themes

Russian painter, explorer, and mystic Nicholas Roerich (1874–1947) ranks as one of the twentieth century’s great enigmas. Despite mystery and scandal, he left a deep, if understudied, cultural imprint on Russia, Europe, India, and America. As a painter and set designer Roerich was a key figure in Russian art. He became a major player in Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, and with Igor Stravinsky he cocreated The Rite of Spring, a landmark work in the emergence of artistic modernity. His art, his adventures, and his peace activism earned the friendship and admiration of such diverse luminaries as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, H. G. Wells, Jawaharlal Nehru, Raisa Gorbacheva, and H. P. Lovecraft. But the artist also had a darker side. Stravinsky once said of Roerich that “he ought to have been a mystic or a spy.” He was certainly the former and close enough to the latter to blur any distinction. His travels to Asia, supposedly motivated by artistic interests and archaeological research, were in fact covert attempts to create a pan-Buddhist state encompassing Siberia, Mongolia, and Tibet. His activities in America touched Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s cabinet with scandal and, behind the scenes, affected the course of three US presidential elections. In his lifetime, Roerich baffled foreign affairs ministries and intelligence services in half a dozen countries. He persuaded thousands that he was a humanitarian and divinely inspired thinker—but convinced just as many that he was a fraud or a madman. His story reads like an epic work of fiction and is all the more remarkable for being true. John McCannon’s engaging and scrupulously researched narrative moves beyond traditional perceptions of Roerich as a saint or a villain to show that he was, in many ways, both in equal measure.