£1,500 - £2,000
"Untitled" - Nicholas Roerich (1874–1947), Oil on Canvas.
Painted in bold ochres and deep twilight blues, this oil on canvas captures a vision of sacred mountains bathed in golden light beneath an enveloping dusk sky. The dramatic ridges and flowing valley forms are stylized with Roerich’s signature monumental serenity, evoking themes of transcendence, inner stillness, and spiritual ascent. Signed with the artist’s monogram at the lower right.
Nicholas Roerich (1874–1947) was a Russian painter, philosopher, archaeologist, writer, and mystic whose life and work transcended national and disciplinary boundaries. Born in Saint Petersburg, he studied art at the Imperial Academy of Arts and law at Saint Petersburg University, later gaining fame for his evocative paintings rooted in spiritual symbolism, Eastern philosophy, and nature—especially the Himalayas, which became a recurring motif in his work. Roerich was a key figure in the Russian Symbolist movement and later turned toward a more theosophical worldview, blending Eastern mysticism with Western artistic traditions.
Roerich’s accomplishments were extraordinary and global in scope. He created over 7,000 works of art and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times due to his efforts in cultural preservation. He initiated the Roerich Pact—an international treaty signed in 1935 in the presence of President Franklin D. Roosevelt—that called for the protection of cultural monuments during times of war. Roerich also led the famed Central Asian Expedition (1925–1929), a spiritual and scholarly journey through India, Tibet, Mongolia, and China, documenting ancient cultures and sacred sites.
He spent his later years in India, where he founded the Himalayan Research Institute (Urusvati) in the Kullu Valley and became a revered figure in Indian spiritual and artistic circles. Roerich’s legacy bridges art, mysticism, and diplomacy—his Himalayan landscapes remain iconic for their mystical light and transcendent serenity, capturing not just physical terrain but a spiritual dimension that continues to inspire globally.
Approximately 59 x 45cm
Provenance: Private collection from a distinguished USA collector.
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