28.10.2011  Public lectures about Nicholas Roerich’s Series "Banners of the East" in St.Petersburg. The second lecture “Sergius, the Builder. 1924.” 

On October, 28th the second lecture of the theme “Nicholas Roerich’s Series "Banners of the East"” was held in the library of History and Culture of St.Petersburg, Russia.  The events are held by the Lecture Centre of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs. The second  lecture was devoted to Sergius of Radonezh, the Russian devotee and spiritual hero. The chairman of the St.Petersburg Branch of the International Center of the Roerichs (the SPB ICR)  Eduard Tomsha described life and spiritual deeds of the greatest Russian spiritual leader, Sergius Radonezhskiy. Basis of community life, selfless labour for Common Good and defense of Motherland – these were the aspects based by Sergius from Radonezh in Russian culture.

The first lecture on the theme was held on September, 23rd , 2011, when the SPB ICR  started an annual series of public lectures on the theme:  “Nicholas Roerich’s Series "Banners of the East"”.

The Lecture Center of the SPB ICR holds public events in the Library of History and Culture of St.Petersburg (Ul.Marata, 72, St.Petersburg, Russia) every year. This year the lectures are devoted to Nicholas Roerirch’s Series of paintings “Banners of the East”. The Series depicts great historical men of wisdom, founders of philosophical and religious movements in the world culture.

The first event (on September, 23rd , 2011) was devoted to the history of creation of the Series and modern understanding  of its artistic and philosophical value. The Director of the International Center of the Roerichs, Moscow, Ludmila Shaposhnikova once wrote that Nicholas Roerich chose the famous men of wisdom not by chance. Depicting the greatest founders of philosophy and religion Roerich painted history of the East itself, history of the Eastern thought and culture. Buddha, Confucius, Moses, Tsong-Kha-Pa, Nagarjuna, Lao-tzu - Roerich seemed to know much more about them than one can find in libraries and reference books, stressed Ludmila Shaposhnikova in her book about N.Roerich - “The Master”.

The Series includes 19 paintings which were created during the Roerich’s Central-Asian Expedition, in Sikkim, in 1924. The paintings  various in color and composition form an ensemble of devotees and spiritual heroes, famous and less known to the West.

The Series history is amazing. Up to the second half of the 1930s the Series was in the New-York Museum of Nicholas Roerich, USA. In 1935 by financial and law intrigues of L.Horsh the museum building was owned by L.Horsh and later the paintings were sold in the auctions. Donald Bolling, an American businessman and Helena Roerich’s correspondent,  managed to buy the most important paintings. Thanks to Helena Roerich’s advice Bolling kept the paintings at home. In 2001-2004 Bolling’s son started to resell the collection of his father. Now these paintings  are exhibited in the International Center-Museum of Nicholas Roerich in Moscow. In the ICR, Moscow you can see: “Buddha, the Conqueror”, “Mohammed on Mount Hira”, “Oirot - Messenger of the White Burkhan”, “Nagarjuna, the Conqueror of the Serpent”, “Ancient Serpent - Origins of the Mysteries (Serpent of Wisdom)”,  “Signs of Christ” and “Chalice of Christ” and others.

It is well known that the East is a cradle of the most ancient culture on the planet. It is the East where philosophical teachings, religions and first men of wisdom came from. The  Roerich’s "Banners of the East" Series shows the world wisdom in all its richness and spiritual wealth.

Next lecture you  may visit on December, 23rd , 2011. It is devoted to Roerich’s painting “Confucius, the Just One”. 1925.