About the exhibition

April 16 - Mai 16 the Manege Central Exhibition Hall in Saint-Petersburg will host the exhibition Roerich Century, which is the culminating point of the International Exhibition Project Roerich Century. The Roerich Family Heritage is for the first time represented as an integrated phenomenon in of the Russian and world culture. The exhibition will display a number of materials from museums and collections in Russia, the CIS and other countries. This accounts for 60 Russian and world museums and scientific establishments. The project combines efforts and potential of numerous museums, research and educational centers. Many items will be displayed for the first time.

The opening of the exhibition coincides with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of signing in the White House, Washington, of the Roerich`s Pact (the first international treaty on the protection of scientific and artistic institutions and historic monuments) on the April 15, 1935.

The project is designed to offer the first summary of a hundred year contribution of the unique family to the world culture (The Roerich Century). The thematic units of the exhibition show all aspects of the Roerich family`s life and work embracing science and art, philosophy and literature, pedagogics and education, public initiatives and preservation of the world cultural heritage.

All the previous exhibitions devoted to the Roerichs` activity, no matter where they were held, covered only single facets of complex and diverse heritage of the family, with the majority of the exhibitions dedicated to the work of Nikolas Roerich and Svetoslav Roerich. This project provides the basis for pulling together the efforts and potential of numerous museums, research and educational centers, including such world acclaimed centers as the State Hermitare Museum, the Russian Museum, the State Tretyakov Gallery, Saint-Petersburg State University, Russian State Library, The National Library of Russia, Library of the Academy of Sciences as well as museums of Saint-Petersburg, Moscow and other Russian and world cities and Russian private collections, that has never been done before. Abundant biographic material will be presented.

One of the main focuses of the exibition wil be formed by Nicolas Roerich`s artistic works from Saint-Petersburg and Moscow museums and private collections. By studying various aspects the visitors of the exhibition will be able to perceive the work of the Roerichs, associated with cultural growth, spiritual perfection and active benevolent cooperation for the sake of mankind, in its integrity.

The exhibition will serve the culmination of the international project the Roerichs` Heritage, aimed at preservation and promotion of the Roerich Family Heritage in their native city and internationally. The exhibition scientific catalogue is in the works.

In the run-up to the exhibition a video advertisement has been released.

Project Participants

The State Hermitage Museum, The Russian Museum, The State Tretyakov Gallery, The State Museum of Oriental Art, Saint-Petersburg State University, The National Library of Russia, Library of the Academy of Sciences, Institute of Russian Literature (the Pushkin House), The Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Manege Central Exhibition Hall, St. Petersburg State Museum-Institute of the Roerich family, Saint-Petersburg Art School named after Nicholas Roerich, The Historical Museum in K.I. May Gymnasium, as well as museums and art galleries of the following cities: Almaty (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Veliky Novgorod (Russia), Voronezh (Russia), Yerevan (Armenia), Yekaterinburg (Russia), Kaluga (Russia), Kiev (Ukraine), Krasnodar (Russia), Moscow (Russia), Novosibirsk (Russia), New York (USA), Odessa (Ukraine), Omsk (Russia), Perm (Russia), Pskov (Russia), Riga (Latvia), Samara (Russia), Saratov (Russia), Saint-Petersburg (Russia), Smolensk (Russia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Sortavala (Russia).

A total of 60 museums, libraries, archives and private collections from 33 cities in Russia and other countries.

Project Providers

The Saint-Petersburg Committee for Culture
The State Hermitage Museum
St. Petersburg State Museum-Institute of the Roerich family
The ‘Manezh’ Central Exhibition Hall

Participants

Rustam Mustafayev Azerbaijan State Museum of Art, Baku (Azerbaijan)
The Library of the University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)
The Library of the Academy of Sciences
Borovichi Regional Studies Museum, Borovichi (Russia)
Military-historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps
Volgograd Museum of Fine Arts, Volgograd (Russia)
Voronezh regional Museum of Fine Arts, Voronezh (Russia)
The State Tretyakov Gallery
The Mariinsky Theatre
The State Historical Museum
The State Complex Palace of Congresses in Strelna
The State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan (Russia)
Abylkhan Kasteev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty (Kazakhstan)
The State Museum of Oriental Art
The State Museum of the History of Religion
The Georges Pompidou National Art and Cultural Centre, Paris (France)
Alexey Shchusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow
The Russian Museum
The Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture
Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum
The State Hermitage Museum
Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Ekaterinburg (Russia)
Agni Publishing House, Samara (Russia)
Russian Academy of Sciences Institute for the History of Material Culture
Institute of Russian Literature (the Pushkin House)
The Roerichs` Research Foundation
The Kaluga Regional Art Museum, Kaluga (Russia)
Museum of Russian Art in Kiev (Ukraine)
The Vasnetsov Brothers Regional Art Museum in Kirov (Russia)
The Kostroma State Historical, Architectural and Arts Museum Reserve, Kostroma (Russia)
Fiodor Kovalenko Art Museum, Krasnodar (Russia)
The Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga (Latvia)
Leningrad Regional Archive, Vyborg (Russia)
Doctor Vinter`s country-house museum (ZAO Nord-Haus), Sortavala (Russia)
The Museum of Saint-Petersburg State Mining Institute
Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, Ulan Bator (Mongolia)
National Gallery for Foreign Art, Sofia (Bulgaria)
The Historical Museum in Karl May Gymnasium
Nicholas Roerich Museum of the Siberian Roerich Society, Novosibirsk (Russia)
Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York (USA)
Archip I. Kuindji Apartment Museum (the division of The Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum)
Isaak I. Brodski Apartment Museum (the division of The Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum)
Scientific-research Museum of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts
National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan (Armenia)
National Art Museum of Moldova, Chisinau (Moldova)
Novgorod State United Museum, Veliky Novgorod (Russia)
Nicholas Roerich House Museum, Odessa (Ukraine)
The Odessa Fine Arts Museum, Odessa (Ukraine)
Michail Vrubel Regional Museum of Fine Arts, Omsk (Russia)
Perm State Art Gallery, Perm (Russia)
Pskov Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Complex, Pskov (Russia)
Northern Ladoga Regional Museum and Turist Center, Sortavala (Russia)
The Russian State Library named after Vladimir Lenin
The National Library of Russia
Russian State Archive of Literature and Art
Russian State Museum of Arctic and Antarctic
Russian Institute for the History of Arts
Rybinsk State Historical-Architectural and Artistic Preserve Museum, Rybinsk (Russia)
Samara Regional Art Museum, Samara (Russia)
Saint-Petersburg Buddist temple Datsan Gunzechoinei
Saint-Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music
State Museum Institute of the Roerich Family
Saint-Petersburg State University
Saint-Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Scienses Archive
Saint-Petersburg Art School named after Nicholas Roerich
The Radishchev State Art Museum in Saratov (Russia)
Smolensk State Museum-Preserve, Smolensk (Russia)
Central State archive of Cinema, Photographic and Phonographic Documents in Saint-Petersburg
Central State Archive for Scientific and Technological Documents
Sant-Petersburg Central State Historical Archive

Exhibition venue

Manege Central Exhibition Hall in Saint-Petersburg
Isaakievskaya sq., 1, 190000, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Management tel.: 8 812 314 59 59, begin_of_the_skype_highlighting,,? 8 812 314 59 59 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Web site: http://www.manege.spb.ru

How to get to the exhibition

You can take any above-ground transport going to Isaak square (bus 10), Konnogvardeysky boulevard (trolleybus 5, 22; bus 3, 22, 27), Truda square (tramway 1, 11, 31), including route taxis. Nearest metro stations: Sennaya Ploshad, Sadovaya, Nevsky Prospekt.

Sections and topics

The first section, Ground floor - Indoor portrait of the Roerich family

Entrance hall

Introductory section

Complex 1. Multimedia section, The Roerichs lived and worked here

Complex 2. Our contemporaries speak about the Roerichs (opinions of the Russian and Indian presidents, outstanding scientists, cultural figures and arts workers)

Left gallery

I. The Russian period in the life and work of the Roerich family (1874–1918)

Topic 1. Saint-Petersburg in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic 1. Saint-Petersburg notary Konstantin Roerich and his family

Complex 1. Nikolas Roerich`s places of residence before his marriage. Studies in Karl May Gymnasium followed by studies in the Academy of Sciences and Saint-Petersburg State University

Complex 2. Country residence in Izvara, the place of rest and first findings

Complex 3. Boris and Svetoslav Roerich

Subtopic 2. Saint-Petersburg architect Ivan Shaposhnikov and his family

Complex 1. Ivan Shaposhnikov`s work

Complex 2. Helena Roerich. Childhood

Complex 3. Helena Roerich`s ancestry and relatives: the families Shaposhnikov, Golenischev-Kutuzov, Mitusov, Musorgsky, Putyatin princes.

Subtopic 3. The town of Bologoye. The acquaintance of Nicolas Roerich with Helena Shaposhnikova. Development of relations before the marriage. Nikolas Roerich`s visit of Fernand Cormon in Paris. The meeting in Paris in 1901.

Subtopic 4 The Roerich Family in Saint-Petrsburg

Complex 1. The first Saint-Petersburg places of residence of the Roerich family

Complex 2. The apartment of Nicholas Roerich, the director of the Emperor`s Art Encouragement Society`s Drawing school, in Bolshaya Morskaya street 38

Complex 3. Yurik and Svetik

Complex 4. Helena Roerich, helpmate, friend and inspiration

Subtopic 5. Nicholas Roerich`s artistic and educational activity in Saint-Petersburg (1899–1918)

Complex 1. Nikolas Roerich, an assistant editor of the magazine Art and artistic industry. Nicholas Roerich, associate director of the Emperor`s Art Encouragement Society`s Arts and Industry Museum. Nicholas Roerich, secretary of the Emperor`s Art Encouragement Society.

Complex 2. The Emperor`s Art Encouragement Society and its Drawing school (1898–1918). Nicholas Roerich, the director of the Emperor`s Art Encouragement Society`s Drawing school (1906–1918).

Subcomplex 1. Nicholas Roerich`s followers

Complex 3. Higher woman courses of architecture and workshops for handicapped soldiers in Saint-Petersburg (1912–1918). Nicholas Roerich and Russian artistic societies (The World of Art, The Union of Russian Artists and others).

Subtopic 6. Saint-Petersburg cultural background for the Roerichs` work. Artistic quest of the Silver age reflected in the Roerichs`work.

Complex 1. Nicholas Roerich, Russian theatre and theatre workers. Theatrical scenery painting. Nicholas Roerich and musicians.

Complex 2. Nicholas Roerich and literary men

Complex 3. Book graphics by Nicholas Roerich

Central part of the hall

Complex 4. Kazansky Rail Terminal

Complex 5. Fiodorovsky Gorodok complex

Topic 2. Russia in the work of Nicholas Roerich

Subtopic 1. Archeological expeditions, hystorical and artistic trips of Nicholas Roerich within the Central Russian Upland (mostly in Valdai Hills in 1902-1916)

Complex 1. Nicholas Roerich`s paintings and graphic art.

Subcomplex 1. Origins of Russia. The Slavs.

Subcomplex 2. Historic landscape.

Subtopic 2. Nicholas and Helena Roerichs` Historical and artistic expedition through the ancient Russian cities (1903-1904)

Subtopic 3. Valuable contribution to the Russian church building

Complex 1. The Church of the Holly Spirit in Talashkino.

Complex 2. The Iconostasis in Perm.

Complex 3. Sketches for the prayer room in Nice

Complex 4. Mosaics in the Church in Parchomovka

Complex 5. Design of the church in Skernovitsy

Complex 6. Designs of the churches in the USA and Harbin.

Topic 3. Great intuitionist of the epoch

Complex 1. Prophetic paintings

Topic 4. Europe in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic 1. France, Switzerland, Italy in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic 2. Belgium in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic 3. Germany in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic 4. the Baltics in the life and work of the Roerich family

Subtopic № 5. Finland in the life and work of the Roerich family

Complex 1. The Charm of Finland (Roerichs in Finland in 1907)

II. After the Revolution. In Europe and in America (1918–1923)

Subtopic 5. Finland in the life and work of the Roerich family

Complex 2. Sortavala (the Roerichs on the Ladoga in 1916–1918)

Subtopic 6. Great Britain in the life and work of the Roerich family

Topic 5. America in the life and work of the Roerich family

III. In India and Central Asia (1923–1955)

Topic 1. The first experience of India

Topic 2. The first Central Asian Expedition

Topic 3. The second Central Asian Expedition (1935–1936)

Right Gallery

Topic 4. the Kulu valley. Himalayan Research Institute Urusvati

Topic 5. Helena Roerich

Complex 1. Iniciator of Living Ethics Teaching Societies in the world.

Complex 2. Helena Roerich`s ideas as a significant constituent of the XXI century cosmology and pedagogics.

IV. Activity related to the promotion of the Roerich`s Pact

V. After the parents` passing

Topic 1. Yuri Roerich, a prominent Orientalist and public figure

Topic 2. Svetoslav Roerich and Devika Rani, family tradition successors

Subtopic 1. India

Subtopic 2. Russia

The second section, The first floor – The Roerichs` Empire

I. Artistic, literary, scientific and philosophical heritage of the Roerich family

The 1^st thematic section - Artistic and literary activity

The 2^nd thematic section - Scientific work

The 3^rd thematic section - Artistic and spiritual quest

The 4^th thematic section - Protection of cultural heritage

The 5^th thematic section - The Roerichs` followers and disciples in art, philosophy, public activity, etc

II. The final memorial section - We worked for the sake of people

Project Providers

The Saint-Petersburg Committee for Culture

The Committee for Culture is a structural subdivision of the St. Petersburg City Government.It was established for the purpose of carrying out state policy and implementing state governance in the sphere of culture and arts.

The main goals of the Committee are:

Preserve and rationally use city’s cultural and historical heritage; revive and develop cultural traditions;
Support cultural and arts organizations in order to guarantee equal access to cultural wealth for all social groups; create favorable conditions for the development of cultural and artistic organizations;
Assist in the development of the system of musical and artistic educational institutions; provide support for talented children and youth;
Support folk art and national cultures; develop the recreational and leisure sphere as well as cultural and educational activities; strengthen interaction between professional and amateur artistic organizations;
Strengthen international cultural cooperation; ensure participation of the city’s cultural and artistic organizations in international projects; promote St. Petersburg as a cultural and artistic center of international significance;
Organize the city’s cultural events: festivals, competitions, holidays, exhibitions, conferences and congresses;
Create and implement projects and strategic programs in the sphere of culture; share expertise of international and regional projects in the field..

Web site: http://www.spbculture.ru

The State Hermitage Museum

The largest of art, history and culture in Russia and one of the largest in the world with a display area covering over 350 rooms. Of special significance are the palace interiors.
The museum houses the expositions of the Antiquities Department, the Department of Western European Fine Art, the Oriental Department, the Department of Primitive Art, the Department of Russian Culture, the Treasury Gallery, the Numismatics Department.
The Hermitage regularly hosts artistic collections from the world largest museums.

Web site: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org

Saint-Petersburg State Museum-Institute of the Roerich Family

Saint-Petersburg State Museum-Institute of the Roerich Family is housed in the ancient Michail Botkin Mansion on the Vasilyevsky Island that was repeatedly visited by Nicholas Roerich. The basis of the Museum-Institute`s memorial exposition is formed by the heritage, preserved by Helena Roeroch`s Niece Liudmila Mitusova and her family. During several years of its existence, the owners of private collections have donated a number of artistic and other items to the museum. Today its funds account to about 15 thousand items, including the personal belongings, manuscripts, archeological findings, photos and other cultural treasures, reflecting the diverse background of the Roerichs` life and work.

Web site: http://www.roerich.spb.ru

The Manege Central Exhibition Hall

Since its opening Manege has been the largest exhibition hall in Saint-Petersburg with the overall display area about 4.5 square meters.
Every month Manege offers new artistic projects, differing in their kind and subject matter, style and presentation. The range of exhibitions is quite large: retrospective exhibitions, exhibitions of contemporary art, exhibitions embracing Saint-Petersburg`s cultural and spiritual heritage, inter-museum exhibitions, exhibitions of Saint-Petersburg private collections, international exhibitions.
The exhibitions are often accompanied by meetings with artists, seminars on the issues of art and culture, the concerts of classical and modern music, workshops. The experts and art connoisseurs are invited to participate.
Manege also hosts major specialized Russian and international exhibitions.
The Manege Central Exhibition Hal has been preparing the collection of the would-be Saint-Petersburg contemporary arts museum. As of now the collection accounts for about 2.5 thousand items: paintings, graphic arts, sculpture, decorative and applied arts, objects and installations. The period covered: from the beginning of the Soviet art to the present day.

Сайт: http://www.manege.spb.ru