Costume design for the Opera "Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin 1929

Here we see Ivan Bilibin's costume design for the opera "Prince Igor," likely made with watercolor and ink around 1929. Bilibin had a thing for historical accuracy, which is funny because his art is so stylized and graphic, almost like a comic book. Look at the way he renders the chainmail, or the embroidery on the cloak - it's like a meticulous doodle. You get the sense of someone enjoying the detailed mark-making, like drawing each scale on a fish, one by one. The colors are muted, earthy – pinks, browns, and creams – which gives it an aged, folktale quality. But then the bold black outlines pop, keeping it crisp and graphic. See how the lines define the folds of the cloak or the shape of the shield? It's like a coloring book, but instead of filling in the colors, Bilibin builds up layers of pattern and texture. It reminds me a bit of Aubrey Beardsley's illustrations, that same mix of flatness and detail, history and imagination.