St. Mercurius of Smolensk 1918

"St. Mercurius of Smolensk" (1918) by Nicholas Roerich depicts a scene of the Christian saint standing with his white horse outside a gate, with a landscape visible in the distance. Roerich's use of bold colors and stylized figures in the work are characteristic of his artistic style, which blended elements of Russian iconography with a modernist sensibility. The work reflects Roerich's deep interest in Russian history, mythology, and religious iconography, themes that would come to define his artistic output.