Costume of Elsa to the Opera 'Lohengrin' by Wagner 1933

Alexander Khvostenko-Khvostov made this watercolor costume design for Elsa in Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’ without a set date, using translucent strokes to bring forth a figure clad in aqua and white. The way the pigment pools and bleeds at the edges of each form shows that this was a process-led way of working. The overall effect reminds me of looking at an unfolding dream. It is clear Khvostenko-Khvostov enjoyed the fluidity of watercolor, allowing chance to guide his hand. The paper absorbs the pigment, creating soft textures and unexpected gradients. Look closely at the blues of the grid motif on Elsa’s dress, and you’ll see how the watery application has given the indigo a kind of shimmering, almost vibrating quality. This area, in particular, captures the essence of the whole piece. Khvostenko-Khvostov had an amazing career as a set and costume designer; but also had a parallel and equally fascinating career in avant-garde art. There’s something about this costume design that anticipates the dreamlike, surreal qualities you see in the work of someone like Leonora Carrington. This piece shows art's ability to live in a world of suggestion, of endless possibilities.