N. K. Roerich’s Contribution to the Knowledge of the East

Abstract

The article deals with activities of a famous Russian artist and public figure Nikolai K. Roerich in the field of Oriental studies. N.K. Roerich read law at the St Petersburg University, however he also attended the lectures at the faculty of history. His genuine interest in history later revealed in numerous studies in archaeology, ethnography, folklore, general and cultural history of the Eastern counties. As a scholar, he visited Altay, Mongolia, India and Tibet, lived there and conducted his research. He was also instrumental in organizing two complex research expedition to Central Asia and Manchuria. Besides he took part in short term expeditions to Western Himalaya as part of the work of the Himalayan Research Institute. This Institute was founded by the Roerich family and was based in the Kullu valley (India). During his expeditions he collected vast material, which comprised historical sources of different art and nature. This material was subsequently researched by himself as well as by his elder son the Orientalist scholar George (Yurii) Roerich. Nikolaj Roerich developed a unique research method, which combined purely academic and artistic approach.