Scenery sketch for Mussorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina" 1920

Nicholas Roerich made this scenery sketch for Mussorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina" using pencil on paper. Look at how these shadowy forms emerge. You can almost feel Roerich tentatively, gently, building the scene with layer upon layer of strokes. I'm struck by how the sketch seems to capture a world in transition. Maybe he was thinking about the opera's themes of conflict and change? What does it mean to design the set for a production like that? Roerich's lines aren't just describing shapes; they're creating a mood, a sense of foreboding. It reminds me a little of Piranesi’s etchings, with their dramatic perspectives and crumbling architecture. Even in this preliminary sketch, you can see Roerich's fascination with atmosphere. It’s like he’s inviting us to imagine the music, the drama, and the sheer spectacle of the opera itself. And that's the fun of painting – all artists are in conversation with each other, across time, inspiring each other.