The artwork titled “St. Mercurius of Smolensk” was created by the artist Nicholas Roerich in 1918. It belongs to the Symbolism art movement and is categorized as a sketch and study. This piece is housed in the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow, Russia.
The composition portrays a figure, presumed to be St. Mercurius, standing alongside a white horse in front of an arched gateway. The saint is cloaked in an intricate, colorful garment. The backdrop features a picturesque town, with vividly hued buildings under a bright, cloud-speckled sky. In the upper right corner, celestial beings hover amidst the clouds, adding a mystical dimension to the scene. This depiction encapsulates a sense of both earthly and divine realms, typical of Symbolist themes.
