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 1950s, 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 Kullu, 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.
