Sketch for the spectacle, The action of Theophile 1907

Ivan Bilibin’s “Sketch for the spectacle, The action of Theophile” looks like it was made yesterday, though it’s from 1907, probably using gouache or tempera. There is something meticulous about the process, which is all about color and line. Look at how the lines create these stylized, almost cartoonish medieval buildings and rocky landscapes. Bilibin doesn't hide the process; in fact, he emphasizes it, which enhances the emotional impact. The palette is muted but intense – ochre, blue, grey-green, and brown – and creates a fantastical landscape that is both inviting and unsettling, like something out of a dream. Note the stylized monster head looming in the foreground: a perfect example of Bilibin’s symbolic sensibility. Bilibin was part of the Mir iskusstva movement, which sought to revive traditional Russian art and culture, but there's also something very contemporary about his approach. I’m reminded of illustrators like Chris Van Allsburg, who combine a love of history with a playful, contemporary sensibility. The beauty of art is that it allows for multiple readings and interpretations, leaving space for ongoing conversation and exchange.