English polovoy and polshkiper 1924

Boris Kustodiev rendered this design for a theatrical production on paper, at an unknown date. The drawing presents two figures – one Russian, one Black – both in costume. Costume design is an interesting art form because it straddles fine art and commercial art. It's a practical design but it's also an aesthetic object in its own right. The art historian would be interested in how the conventions of costume design are working here. But also, in what these particular costumes tell us about Kustodiev’s social world. The image can be read as a commentary on Russian identity and Russia’s place in a wider world. What do the visual codes of “Englishness” and “Blackness” signify in this image? Is this image progressive or does it reinforce stereotypes? Research into the archives of the theatre that commissioned this design, along with the theatrical reviews of the production, would help in the interpretation. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.