Costume Design for Tales of Hoffmann 1929

László Moholy-Nagy made this costume design for Tales of Hoffmann using gouache, ink, and pencil. You can see the process in the way he’s laid down these flat, graphic marks. I love how the stark black of the suit is offset by the delicate, almost ghostly rendering of the figure's face and hands. Look closely at the way the black paint seems to both absorb and reflect light, giving the costume a kind of depth and presence. And the small details, like the sharp white line cutting across the chest or the splash of red at the throat, really make the whole thing pop. It's like he's playing with flatness and depth, light and shadow, all at the same time. I am reminded of Sonia Delaunay's explorations of colour and form in her textile designs. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a push and pull between ideas, materials, and experiences.