Sketches of costumes for "Peer Gynt" 1912

Editor: Here we have Nicholas Roerich’s “Sketches of Costumes for 'Peer Gynt'”, created in 1912, using coloured pencils. The theatricality of these characters really jumps out at me; I’m especially intrigued by their faces. What strikes you most when you look at these figures? Curator: Ah, Roerich. There’s a sense of ancient lands re-imagined, isn’t there? I love how the costumes speak of folk traditions, yet with a symbolic twist. Look at the use of colour – almost like whispered incantations. Does the juxtaposition of the woman’s grounded stance and the man’s whimsical hat evoke any narrative threads for you? Editor: Absolutely, the hat gives him such a vulnerable quality compared to the woman, who has a look that is almost challenging. The bright colour seems very contemporary against the drab background. Curator: Roerich, a mystic and visionary, often infused his theatrical designs with deeper spiritual meanings. Remember, 'Peer Gynt' is a story of self-discovery, and I think Roerich captures that beautifully in these sketches, even in the costumes themselves. Peer Gynt seeks himself, looks in a mirror, looks for someone else. I see myself in these sketches, sometimes lost and sometimes found. It all depends. Don't you feel that way, too? Editor: That’s interesting. I’d been focusing so much on their contrasting outward appearances, but what you're saying makes me want to delve into their potential inner lives. Thank you, that really shifted my perception. Curator: My pleasure! Art is merely a conversation. What secrets do *you* intend to weave with colour and form?