Nagarjuna, Conqueror of the Serpent - Nicholas Roerich
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Description
A meditative scene by Nicholas Roerich depicting the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna encountering a serpent spirit amidst a violet-hued mountain range.
Nicholas Roerich produced this work during his extensive travels through Central Asia. The painting depicts the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna, who is traditionally associated with the recovery of the Prajnaparamita sutras from the realm of the Nagas, or serpent spirits. Roerich employs a distinctive palette of violet, mauve, and soft pink to render the mountainous terrain, creating an atmosphere of ethereal stillness.
In the centre of the composition, a multi-headed serpent coils around a rocky outcrop, illuminated by a soft, glowing aura. The figure of Nagarjuna sits in the foreground, viewed from behind, dressed in a simple red robe. His posture is meditative, providing a human scale to the vast, otherworldly geography. Roerich often utilised tempera for its matte finish and ability to hold clear, luminous colour, which is evident here in the smooth transitions between the sky and the jagged peaks.
The work reflects the artist's interest in the intersection of spiritual philosophy and the natural world. Roerich was a polymath, involved in archaeology, exploration, and theosophy, all of which inform the iconography of this piece. The mountains, a recurring motif in his oeuvre, are treated as sacred spaces. The composition is balanced, with the serpent acting as a bridge between the earthly realm of the monk and the celestial light emanating from the clouds. By focusing on the narrative of the conqueror of the serpent, Roerich explores themes of wisdom and the mastery of elemental forces. The lack of heavy shadows and the use of flattened perspective contribute to the dreamlike quality of the scene, typical of his later period works created in the Himalayas.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
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Specific Features
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- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
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- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Nagarjuna, Conqueror of the Serpent - Nicholas Roerich
Artist Biography
Nicholas Roerich
He was born in St Petersburg in 1874 and studied law and art simultaneously before choosing art. After the Revolution, he left Russia and eventually settled in the Kullu Valley of India, where he established a research institute. His paintings of Central Asian mountains, produced in enormous quantities, glow with a flat, saturated colour that reflects his interest in theosophy and Eastern spiritual traditions.
The Roerich Pact, his treaty for protecting cultural sites during wartime, was the precursor to the 1954 Hague Convention. He died in Naggar, Himachal Pradesh, in 1947, at seventy-three.
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