The artwork, created by Nicholas Roerich in 1919, is a scenery sketch for Mussorgsky’s opera “Khovanshchina”. This piece belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and falls into the genre of sketches and studies. The scenery sketch serves as a preparatory work to aid in the visualization of the stage setting for the opera.
The artwork is rendered in pencil, showcasing an interior scene with distinct architectural elements. The sketch depicts a room with arched ceilings and defined wall sections, highlighting features such as a window on the left and various structural details that imply depth and dimension. The lines are precise, capturing the essence of the space while maintaining a level of abstraction inherent in preparatory works. This meticulous yet fluid representation effectively conveys the intended atmosphere of the opera’s setting.
