Nicholas Roerich: The Artist Who Would Be King
- ISBN-10
- 0822989131
- ISBN-13
- 9780822989134
- Series
- Nicholas Roerich
- Category
- History
- Pages
- 869
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2022-11-15
- Publisher
- University of Pittsburgh Press
- Author
- John McCannon
Description
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.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2022-12-13
- 736 pages
- Paperback
- Russian and East European Stud
Similar books
-
Roerich, East & West: Paintings from the Nicholas Roerich Museum
By N.Y.), Nicholas Roerich Museum, Kenneth ArcherNikolai Roerich was born on October 9th, 1874 in Saint-Petersburg. After studying law and attending the Academy of Art, Roerich developed a passionate interest in archaeology, his contribution to which...
-
The Visionary Art of Nicholas Roerich: A Messenger of Beauty
By Jacqueline DecterThis 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 ...
-
Warrior of Light: The Life of Nicholas Roerich : Artist, Himalayan Explorer, and Visionary
By Colleen MessinaWarrior 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
By Nicholas RoerichNicholas Roerich
-
Nicholas Roerich. East & West
By Kenneth ArcherNicholas Roerich, with his huge and versatile talent, is one of the most interesting creative minds of the early 20th century.
-
Heart of Asia: Memoirs from the Himalayas
By Nicholas RoerichRoerich recounts his journeys to more than fifty monasteries and his meetings with lamas eager to share their spiritual insights and heritage with the Western world.
-
Nicholas Roerich
By Евгений Палладиевич МаточкинNicholas Roerich
-
Nicholas Roerich
By Garabed PaelianNicholas Roerich
-
Nicholas and Helena Roerich: The Spiritual Journey of Two Great Artists and Peacemakers
By Ruth A. DrayerThis 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 ...
-
Beautiful Unity
By Nicholas RoerichThey will therefore be new to many readers. It is our hope that bringing these volumes to light again will expand awareness of the vast range and depth of Roerich's interests and insights into human nature and cultural history.