The artwork titled “Sketch for the Opera, The Golden Cockerel, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov” was created by artist Ivan Bilibin in the year 1909. It belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and is categorized as a design piece. This particular sketch is part of a series created for “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel.”
The artwork presents a vivid and stylized depiction of a fantastical set design for the opera “The Golden Cockerel.” The scene is characterized by bright, bold colors and a strong geometric quality. A whimsical landscape is portrayed, featuring architectural elements that align with the fairy tale nature of the opera. The buildings have ornate facades, with playful patterns and shapes, conveying a sense of grandeur and magic. In the background, one can observe a sky partially clouded, suggesting either the onset of evening or the break of dawn. The foreground shows a stage with a central staircase leading up to a platform and what appears to be the entrance to a palace or noble court, indicating a significant location within the narrative of the opera. The overall composition of the artwork merges the intricacies of traditional Russian art with the flowing, ornamental lines emblematic of the Art Nouveau style, creating a picturesque and enchanting scene befitting the opera’s fantastical and allegorical themes.
