Editing Roerich Pact (section)

== Nicholas Roerich ==
{{main|Nicholas Roerich}}
[[File:N Roerich.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Nicholas Roerich]].]]

Russian painter and philosopher [[Nicholas Roerich]] (1874–1947)<ref>[[Leslie Brenner]], "Nicholas Roerich. Idealist and Visionary", ''[[Foreign Affairs Journal]]'', April 1990</ref> initiated the modern movement for the defense of cultural objects, for the idea of "Peace of Civilizations". Besides the recognition as one of the greatest Russian painters,{{According to whom|date=September 2022}} Roerich's most notable achievement during his lifetime was the Roerich Pact signed on 15 April 1935 by the representatives of [[International Conference of American States|American states]] in the [[Oval Office]] of the [[White House]] (Washington, DC). It was the first international treaty signed in the Oval Office.<ref>Elisabeth Stoumatoff, ''FDR's Unfinished Portrait: A Memoir'', University of Pittsburgh Press, 1990, {{ISBN|0-8229-3659-3}}</ref>

Nicholas Roerich was born on 9 October 9, 1874, in [[St. Petersburg]]. His parents encouraged him to study law, but seeing their son's inclination for painting, they allowed him to study both, which he did with much success. In 1900, Roerich went to [[Paris]] to take lessons from [[Fernand Cormon]], the well known tutor of [[Van Gogh]] and [[Toulouse-Lautrec]]. Upon his return to St. Petersburg, he married [[Helena Roerich|Helena Shaposhnikova]], who later developed the [[Agni Yoga]] philosophy. Soon Roerich became quite a successful painter. One of his paintings was purchased by Russian [[Tsar Nicolas II]] himself. Roerich also worked as stage and costume designer for several operas and ballets by [[Maurice Maeterlinck]] and [[Igor Stravinsky]], premiered in St. Petersburg.

In 1917, Roerich went to live near a lake in [[Grand Duchy of Finland|Finland]], to strengthen his health. After the border between Russia and Finland was closed in 1918 in the context of the [[October Revolution]] and [[Finnish Civil War]], the family travelled across several [[Scandinavia]]n countries to [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] and eventually left for [[North America]] in 1920. There, Roerich founded two cultural institutions: "[[Cor Ardens]]" (Flaming Heart, a fraternity of artists from several countries) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://corardens.com/|title=Scripture Speaks - Savoring the deep meaning of the Word of God which unfolds each year in the liturgy, revealing the fundamental mysteries of our faith.|website=Corardens.com|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> and "The Master Institute of United Arts" (an organization for education, science, and philosophy).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roerich.org/roerich-biography.php|title=Nicholas Roerich biographical outline|website=Roerich.org|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref>

In 1923, the [[Roerich Museum]] was founded in New York. In 1929, it moved to a new building. Presently, the Roerich Museum is located in [[Manhattan]], at the corner of 107th Street and Riverside Drive. In 1929, Roerich's work towards the pact was recognised through a nomination for the [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>[https://www.nobelprize.org/nomination/redirector/?redir=archive/show.php&id=5885 Nobel Prize Committee archives 1929]</ref>

After leaving America, the Roerichs settled at Naggar in the [[Kullu Valley]] from which their estate looked towards the [[Himalayas]]. Here they established the [[Urusvati Institute]] which remains in Naggar with an exhibition about the pact. Nicholas Roerich died on 13 December 1947.