Ancient Serpent (Serpent of Wisdom) 1924

Nicholas Roerich painted “Ancient Serpent (Serpent of Wisdom)” sometime in his lifetime using tempera on canvas. Here, the serpent, with its sinuous form winding across the sky, symbolizes wisdom and primal energy. It’s a motif that echoes through millennia, from the serpent in the Garden of Eden to the Kundalini serpent in Eastern traditions, representing enlightenment. We see it in ancient Greek art as the Caduceus, a symbol of medicine. This symbol is not fixed but transforms, reflecting cultural anxieties and aspirations. The serpent, a potent symbol, taps into our collective unconscious. The fear and reverence it evokes reflect humanity's long-standing relationship with the unknown, with the hidden forces of nature. In Roerich's painting, this archetype becomes a force, both menacing and life-giving, capable of stirring deep, subconscious emotional responses. The serpent, ever-present, resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.