Study of lying boy 1894

Nicholas Roerich made this oil on canvas entitled ‘Study of lying boy’. The image offers a glimpse into the social realities that shaped early 20th-century Russia. Roerich, deeply influenced by symbolism and spirituality, often integrated folklore and social commentary into his work. The image is depicting what appears to be a peasant boy, resting in a field, this tells of rural life and perhaps hints at the economic conditions that defined the time. Russia’s socio-economic structure at this time was undergoing rapid change, with growing disparities between the urban elite and the rural peasantry. This piece seems to invite questions about social class and the role of children within that structure. Institutional histories, particularly those related to social reform and education, help in understanding the context in which Roerich created this study. As historians, our interpretation of art is never separate from its socio-political, economic, and cultural forces that existed at the time it was created. Understanding art means digging into archives, and engaging with literature to uncover the complex ways in which art responds to and shapes society.