Vignette for book "N. K. Roerich" 1918

This vignette by Nicholas Roerich is a potent symbol, a world serpent, or Ouroboros, that speaks to the cyclical nature of time. The serpent motif, ever present in human consciousness, emerges here in a modern echo of ancient myth. Consider the Jörmungandr of Norse lore, a serpent so vast it encircles the world, or the symbolic snakes in ancient Egypt, emblems of rebirth and eternal return. Here, the serpent bites its own tail within a circle, echoing not only its eternal return, but also its psychological grip on us. This symbol is not merely a figure; it is a vessel, a potent carrier of cultural memory, revealing our deepest fears and hopes. It suggests both creation and destruction, and the unending, cyclical rhythm of existence. Observe how such primordial images resurface, transformed yet familiar, in the art of different ages. This symbol remains alive, carried through time by our collective unconscious, perpetually reborn in art.