Sketch for the opera, 'The Golden Cockerel', by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov 1909

Curator: This is Ivan Bilibin's sketch from 1909 for the opera "The Golden Cockerel" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, held at the Pushkin Museum. Editor: It has a strangely muted yet striking palette. The composition reminds me of theater curtains opening onto a fantastical stage, what do you make of that color story? Curator: Well, Bilibin was deeply influenced by Russian folklore, particularly its visual representations. He helped shape an idealized view of medieval Russia in the early 20th century through his illustrations and stage designs, tapping into a sense of national identity being negotiated at that time. Editor: The meticulous ink work and the almost woven tempera application. It speaks to the artist's training and dedication to craft. It is almost miniaturist in execution and really highlights an embrace of craft usually separated from art. Curator: Exactly! And note the deliberate stylization, those carefully delineated trees and mountains are almost archetypes, flattened for dramatic effect. It’s meant to evoke the imagined worlds of fairy tales that informed national operas and performance. These weren't just aesthetic choices. Editor: In Bilibin's process, he apparently developed his drawing skill through labor. Do you think his methodology aligns him with certain aesthetic politics? His process of outlining images with contour, combined with craft application has him challenging traditional divides, I think. Curator: Absolutely. His art, particularly his stage designs, were critical to the reception and popularization of Russian folk narratives on a grand scale. He leveraged theater, a deeply social space, to cement cultural imagery. Editor: I see your point, though there’s also something undeniably individual here, perhaps that obsessive focus on craft is a world of its own that transcends ideology. Curator: Possibly. Ultimately, this sketch, with its beautiful rendering, reveals how intertwined art and national identity are. Editor: For me, this offers another case where art elevates humble material via intensive work.