Nicholas Roerich, with his huge and versatile talent, is one of the most interesting creative minds of the early 20th century. He was born in Saint Petersburg in 1874 and died in Kulu Valley (India) in 1947. After studying law and attending the Academy of Art, Nicholas Roerich developed a passionate interest in archaeology, a contribution that was acknowledged when he became a lecturer at the Russian Archaeological Society in 1900. His extensive travels in Europe, Russia, Asia and especially India were a source of inspiration wholly original and unique (for more than 7000 paintings). Roerich was also the author of the Pact which bears his name and which was designed to protect the cultural heritage in time of war. Moreover, he wrote numerous books and collections of poetry.