Nicholas
Konstantinovich Roerich
1874 - 1947
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Že v otroštvu je kazal zanimanje in nadarjenost za številne dejavnosti. Ko mu je bilo devet let, ga je znan arheolog vzel s seboj na izkopavanja krajevnih gomil. Navdušenje nad odkrivanjem skrivnosti pozabljenih obdobij z lastnimi rokami je v njem prebudilo zanimanje za arheologijo, ki ga je ohranil skozi celotno svoje življenje. Že v mladosti je Nikolaj kazal posebno nadarjenost za risanje, tako da je že pri šestnajstih začel razmišljati o vpisu na Likovno Akademijo in slikarski življenjski poti, kar je leta 1893 tudi uresničil, ko se je sočasno vpisal na Likovno Akademijo in Univerzo v Skt. Petersburgu.
Helena Roerich je bila neobičajno obdarjena ženska, nadarjena pianistka, avtorica številnih knjig, vključno s Temelji Buddhizma in prevodom Tajnega nauka H. P. Blavastky v ruščino.
V poletjih 1903. in 1904. leta pa sta se Roerichova odpravila na daljše popotovanje, na katerem sta obiskala štirideset ruskih mest, da bi primerjala sloge in zgodovinsko povezanost ruske arhitekture. V istem letu je Nikolaj naslikal svoje prve slike z religioznimi temami. Te so večinoma upodabljale ruske svetnike in legende.
Leta 1915 je zbolel za pljučnico in zdravnik ga je poslal na zdravljenje na Finsko, tako da je bilo to obdobje tudi za družino Roerich, tako kot za ves svet, obdobje velikega nemira.
Med svojim bivanjem
v Ameriki sta Roerichova še nadalje načrtovala svoj obisk Indije,
kar se je končno uresničilo v letu 1923, ko sta tam obiskala kulturna
in zgodovinska središča, se srečevala z indijskimi znanstveniki,
profesorji, slikarji in pisatelji.
V naslednjem letu je na svojem potovanju v New York, ki je bilo namenjeno odprtju nove stavbe Roerichovega muzeja, je Nikolaj izoblikoval idejo, ki mu je dolga leta ležala na srcu. Po zgledu Rdečega križa je predlagal sporazum za varstvo kulturnih zakladov, tako v vojnem kot v času miru. V posvetovanju s poznavalci mednarodnega prava je pripravil osnutek Pakta ter predlagal, da bi bila njegova zastava razobešena na vseh mestih pod njegovo zaščito. To zastavo je poimenoval Prapor Miru. Njegova oblika prikazuje tri oble, ki jih obdaja krog, v škrlatni barvi na belem ozadju. Med mnogimi tolmačenji tega simbola je morda najbolj primerno tisto, ki govori o Religiji, Umetnosti in Znanosti kot aspektih Kulture, ali tisto o preteklih, sedanjih in prihodnjih dosežkih človeštva, ki jih varuje krog Večnosti. To znamenje in spremljajoči motto, Pax Cultura, simbolizirata Roerichovo vizijo za človeštvo. Iskanje prefinjenosti in lepote je bilo za Roericha nekaj svetega. Verjel je, da se zemeljski templji in umetnine sicer lahko uničijo, da pa mišljenje, ki jih je pripeljalo v obstoj, nikoli ne umre in ostaja del večnega toka zavesti - človekovih stremljenj, ki jih usmerja njegova volja in energija mišljenja. Verjel je, da je mir na zemlji nujen predpogoj za preživetje planeta in za trajen proces duhovne evolucije. Soljudi je prigovarjal k temu, da bi pomagali doseči ta mir s tem, da bi se združili v skupnem jeziku Lepote in Znanja.
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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. 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. In the fall of 1893 Nicholas enrolled simultaneously in the Academy of Art and at St. Petersburg University. 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. Helena Roerich was an unusually gifted woman, a talented pianist, and author of many books, including The Foundations of Buddhism and a Russian translation of Helena Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine. Prompted by the need to provide some income for his new household, Roerich applied for and won the position of Secretary of the School of the Society for the Encouragement of Art, later becoming its head, the first of many positions that Roerich would occupy as a teacher and spokesman for the arts. In the summers of 1903 and 1904, Roerichs set off on an extended tour of forty cities throughout Russia. Roerich's purpose was to contrast the styles and historical context of Russian architecture. In the same year Nicholas painted the first of his paintings on religious themes. These mostly dealt with Russian saints and legends. In 1906 Sergei Diaghilev arranged an exhibition of Russian paintings in Paris. These included sixteen works by Nicholas Roerich. In the years immediately preceding World War I, Roerich sensed an impending cataclysm, and his paintings symbolically depicted the awful scale of the conflict he felt descending upon the world. In 1915 Roerich became ill with pneumonia, and was sent by his doctor to recuperate with his family in Finland. This was a period of great unrest the world over, and no less so in the lives of the Roerich family. By 1917 the revolution was raging in Russia and
returning there would have been dangerous. The family began making
plans to visit India, whose magnetic appeal had been felt increasingly
during these years. This became a possibility in 1918 when Roerich
was invited to exhibit his paintings in Stockholm. From there the
family proceeded to London. In 1921, in New York, he founded the Master Institute of United Arts, in which he planned to realize the educational concepts he had incorporated into the curriculum in St. Petersburg. During their stay in America the Roerichs continued
to plan for the voyage to India. In 1923, the Roerichs were at last
on their way to India, and began a tour of cultural centers and
historic sites, meeting Indian scientists, scholars, artists, and
writers along the way. At the end of their major expedition, in 1928, the family settled in the Kullu Valley in the Himalayan foothills. Here they established their home and the headquarters of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute, which activities included botanical and ethnological-linguistic studies, and the exploration of archeological sites. In the following year, on a trip back to New York for the opening of the Roerich Museum's new premises, Roerich raised an issue that had been close to his heart for many years. Using the Red Cross as an example, he proposed a treaty for the protection of cultural treasures during times of both war and peace. In consultation with lawyers versed in international law, he drafted a Pact, and suggested that a flag would be flown over all places under its protection. This flag he called the Banner of Peace. The design of the Banner shows three spheres surrounded by a circle, in magenta color on a white background. Of the many national and individual interpretations of this symbol, the most usual are perhaps those of Religion, Art and Science as aspects of Culture, which is the surrounding circle; or of past, present, and future achievements of humanity guarded within the circle of Eternity. In this sign and the motto, Pax Cultura, that accompanies it, is symbolized Roerich's vision for humanity. The pursuit of refinement and beauty was sacred for Roerich. He believed that although earthly temples and artifacts may perish, the thought that brings them into existence does not die but is part of an eternal stream of consciousness - man's aspirations nourished by his directed will and by the energy of thought. Finally, he believed that peace on Earth was a prerequisite to planetary survival and the continuing process of spiritual evolution, and he exhorted his fellow man to help achieve that peace by uniting in the common language of Beauty and Knowledge. Nicholas Roerich died in Kullu on December 13, 1947. His body was cremated and its ashes buried on a slope facing the mountains he loved and portrayed in many of his nearly seven thousand works. Nicholas Roerich was as prolific a writer as he was a painter. He wrote books, poetry, and almost-daily commentaries on life and events, called Diary Leaves. Excerpt from the Nicholas
Roerich biography. |
Nikolaj Konstantinovič Roerich se je rodil 9. oktobra 1874 v Skt.
Petersburgu v Rusiji kot prvorojeni sin odvetnika in notarja Konstantina
Roericha in njegove žene Marije. Odraščal je v udobnem okolju družine,
ki je pripadala zgornjemu srednjemu sloju ruske družbe in imela
stike s številnimi pisatelji, slikarji in znanstveniki.
Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich was born on October 9, 1874 in
St. Petersburg, Russia, as 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.| Internetni viri |
Online resources |
Nicholas Roerich Museum |
Nicholas
Roerich Museum |
Slike |
Paintings |
| Nicholas Roerich Museum / Paintings Roerichov virtualni muzej Ruski državni muzej Oglethorpe University Museum Slike N. Roericha na spletu Slike Nikolaja Roericha Nicholas Roerich / Fine Art Posters |
Nicholas Roerich Museum / Paintings Roerich Virtual Museum State Russian Museum Oglethorpe University Museum Paintings of N. Roerich online Paintings of Nicholas Roerich Nicholas Roerich / Fine Art Posters |
| Besedila | Writings |
Altaj-Himalaja |
Altai-Himalaya |
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Quotes from "Nicholas Roerich - The Messenger of Beauty" |
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