Figure 1.--This is Svetoslav at about 5 yeas of age, in 1909. He has curled hair, but not down to his shoulders. He wears a trditional white summer short pants sailor suit. |
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Svetoslav Roerich is an important modern Russian artist. His father was the artist Nicholas Roerich (1874- ) He became one of Imperial Russia’s most famous artists. His art work was about Russian History. His mother was Helena Shaposhnikov. Helena was related to the Russian composer Mussorgsky.She met her husband in 1899. There were two sons. Georget the eldest was born in 1902. Svetoslav their youngest son was born in St Petersburg (1904). Svetoslav developed from childhood a lifelong interest in art. His first teacher was father. He and his older brother George followed their everywhere. Several family photographs have survived. They show the boys dressed in sailor at different times throughout their childhood. The family fled Russia after the Revolution. He began to pursue architecture in England (1919). He moved to America and entered Columbia University's school of architecture (1920). He was awarded the Grand Prix at the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia (1926). He was attracted to India where he lived for many years. Primeminister Nehru awarded him the International Award and the Padma Bhushan. His paintings of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi are national treasures which are displayed in the historic Central Parliament Hall. He married Indian movie star Devika Rani, widow of producer Himanshu Rai (1945). She is a revered figure in India, referredcto as "The First Lady of the Indian Screen". He purchased a plantation on the outskirts of Bangalore--Tataguni. He chose it in part because it was near Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Ashram. The family's residence in Manali, India, has been turned into an art gallery, a process he began (1962). He never lost interest in Russia. He was named an Honorary Academician of the Art Academy of the USSR, and was an honorary member of the Bulgarian Academy of Art.
Svetoslav's father was Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) He became one of Imperial Russia’s most famous artists.
In fact he had wide ranging interests. He has been described as a Russian archeologist, painter, philosopher, and theosophist. Much of his art work was about Russian History. He was born in Saint Petersburg to the family of prosperous notary public. Nicholas lived around the world, spending many years in India until his death in the Punjab. His father had him study law, but allowed him to also study art. His interests were very wide ranging, but were strongly oriented toward art. He left Russia with his family after the Revolution, but undewent a series pf anti- and pro-Soviet conversions. Given his conflicting orientation it is good he did not return to Russia during the stalinist era.
Svetoslav's mother was Helena Shaposhnikov. Helena was related to the Russian composer Mussorgsky. She met her husband in 1899. There were two sons. George the eldest was born in 1902. He became as Yuri Roerich a noted Tibetologist. Svetoslav their youngest son was born in St Petersburg (1904). Nicholas and Helena Roerich founded the Agni Yoga Society.
Svetoslav lived for his first 12 years in his native Russia. His father was a successful artist and thus the biy grewcup in comfortable curcumstances. He developed from childhood a lifelong interest in both natural science and guven the fact his father was a famous artist, art. His first teacher was naturally his father who took a real interest in his son and nurturing his talent. Very early he showed am interest in and talent for drawing. He attended classes of the Arts Encouragement Society School in St. Ptersburg. He created interesting designs for home theatre productions. He began assisting his father in commissions for theatre design sketches. He and his older brother George followed their everywhere. As part of their father's interest in Russian history, he organizes archeological digs. The boys accompany their father on these digs.
Several family photographs have survived. They show the boys dressed in sailor at different times throughout their childhood. This was faily common among affluent families in the late Tsarist period. Even the Tsarevich Alexis mostly wore sailor suits. As a younger boy, both Svetoslav had their hair curled and wore short pants sailor suits. As older boys they had short hair, but still wore saolor suits, often matching suits.
The Roerich family left St. Persburg (1916). He contracted a serious illness. Conditions in the city were becoming difficult as aesult of World War I. Fodd was difficult to obrain. The family moved to the countryside, a pleasant home aon the norther shore of Lake Ladoga. As a result, when the Revolution came, the Roerich family was away from the disorders in St. Persburg. As in the resulting disorder and developing Civil War, Finland declared its independence. Thus they although thouroghly Russian found themselves on the territory of the new state of Finland. From their home along the shore of Lake Ladoga, Svetoslav began systemic drawing lessons under his father's tutelage. He was of course a great master, but also a gifted teacher. Developments in Russia convinced his father that it was not safe to return ti St. Petersburg. And as Russians, they did not want to stay in Russia. One benefit of being in Filand was that it was easy to leave. That might have been very difficult if they had been in St. Petersburg. They thus left Finland for England (1919). Their original intention was to proceed on to India. Their father was invited to America to accompany a tour of his paintings.
Svetoslav entered the Karl May Gymnasium (selective secondary school) in Saint-Petersburg (1913). Svetoslav's father became sick (1916). He thus left school and the family moved to the north-western shore of the Ladoga Lake which was seen as a healthy place for their father to recover. After leaving Russia he began to pursue architecture in England at the the Royal Academy of Arts,(1919). After the family comes to America, he first entering Columbia University's school of architecture (1920). He moved on to Harvard Universities, at the same time studying sculpture at Massachusetts University.
His parents were tied irrevocably to Russia. They founded cultural and educational institutions. At only 19, he headed the International Artistic Center “Corona Mundi”. He became a Vice-President of Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York.
He was awarded the Grand Prix at the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia (1926). He also exhibited over a hundred of his paintings.
Svetoslav was attracted to India where he lived for many years. Here it is difficult to assess how much of this attraction was initually his father's interest in India and how much was his own. He certainly became deeply attached to Indian culture. Roerich for the first time visited India (1923). There he was struck by the grandeur of the country's architectural treasures. He also became acquaintef with the ancient as well the modern art of that country. Primeminister Nehru awarded him the International Award and the Padma Bhushan. His paintings of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi are national treasures which are displayed in the historic Central Parliament Hall. He married Indian movie star Devika Rani, widow of producer Himanshu Rai (1945). She is a revered figure in India, referredcto as "The First Lady of the Indian Screen". He purchased a plantation on the outskirts of Bangalore--Tataguni. He chose it in part because it was near Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Ashram. The family's residence in Manali, India, has been turned into an art gallery, a process he began (1962).
There is a consideraable range in Roerich’s art. He is perhaps best known for his portraits. He painted large numbers of images of his parents. He also left landscape, epic, genre, and symbolic painting.
He never lost interest in Russia.
He was named an Honorary Academician of the Art Academy of the USSR, and was an honorary member of the Bulgarian Academy of Art.
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