Costume design for Archer to the tragedy of Pushkin's Boris Godunov 1923

This costume design for an Archer in Pushkin's "Boris Godunov" was created by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin using watercolor and graphite on paper. The choice of watercolor lends itself to the rendering of textiles – allowing a vivid yet muted sense of color, much like dyed fabric. The artist suggests the weight and texture of garments like the heavy coat and rough boots through varied application of color wash. This brings a handmade sensibility to the design. The design reflects the social context of the play's setting. The garments and weaponry suggest the labor and class divisions of old Russia, and the status of the archer within it. The artist also gives subtle consideration to the practicalities of stagecraft, imagining how the materials and making techniques could translate into real costumes ready for theater production. Petrov-Vodkin asks us to appreciate the cultural significance of materials and making – challenging the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft.