The court of Prince Vladimir Galitsky (Study of scene design for "Prince Igor") 1914

Editor: This is Nicholas Roerich’s “The Court of Prince Vladimir Galitsky,” a watercolor and ink sketch from 1914, created as a set design for the opera *Prince Igor*. The colours are quite muted, almost dreamlike, and the architecture feels both familiar and strange at the same time. What symbolic weight might Roerich have been trying to capture in this image? Curator: A potent one. Note the schematic city and architecture, the somewhat abstracted forms. It evokes a deep, perhaps even mythologized, past, reflecting Roerich’s interest in cultural memory. Think of how he renders each building – a symbol of dwelling, community, power. And the blurred, watery effect of the medium? Editor: It adds to that sense of something half-remembered. Is there a specific reason why some architectural forms, such as that prominent cathedral on the left, are so central? Curator: Roerich used those historical buildings, visual cues from a bygone era, to symbolize something enduring. This would have resonated powerfully with audiences seeking a rooted national identity in pre-revolutionary Russia. The palisade represents enclosure or perhaps an attempt to defend their cultural heritage? Editor: That makes me think of how stage design can create a sense of shared understanding through visual symbolism. It’s fascinating. Curator: Exactly. Consider, too, the colour palette—earthy tones and muted blues and yellows that speak of antiquity. Each stroke, each choice, functions as an effort to tap into collective memory and conjure up a specific historical feeling. What do you think audiences would be feeling upon viewing such imagery during the beginning of WWI? Editor: Fear of outside threat coupled with yearning to celebrate what defined them as Russian? This design offered the promise of historical strength. Thank you. I definitely see this work with different eyes now.