Important Notice

Nicholas Roerich’s early career in theatre design stemmed from his exposure to concerts and operas at St. Petersburg’s Court Conservatory in the 1890s, featuring some of the most prominent composers of that time. Roerich was especially partial to the German composer Richard Wagner, and created the set design for many of his operas including The Valkyrie (1907) and Tristan and Isolde (1912 and 1922). The artist’s intimate understanding of... Nicholas Roerich’s early career in theatre design stemmed from his exposure to concerts and operas at St. Petersburg’s Court Conservatory in the 1890s, featuring some of the most prominent composers of that time. Roerich was especially partial to the German composer Richard Wagner, and created the set design for many of his operas including The Valkyrie (1907) and Tristan and Isolde (1912 and 1922). The artist’s intimate understanding of Wagner’s music enabled him to create dynamic scenes, as can be seen in the details of the present lot – a sketch for the decor of Tristan and Isolde for the Chicago Opera Company, created in 1922 in New York during Roerich’s travels in North America. Roerich’s passion for music extended to his painting, and he applied the relationship between music and colour harmonies to his set designs. According to Nina Selivanova, “The original force of Roerich’s work consists in a masterly and marked symmetry and a definite rhythm, like the melody of an epic song.” (Quoted on roerich.org, online) During his time in New York, Roerich also founded the Master Institute of United Arts in 1921, with talented instructors teaching a diverse curriculum including musical theory and composition, theatre design, and various visual and performing arts.

Read More
Artist Profile
Other works of this artist in: this auction  |  entire site