Lot 139: ALEXANDER ALEXANDROVICH VESNIN, 1883-1959

COSTUME DESIGN FOR A PRODUCTION OF ROMEO AND JULIET

COSTUME DESIGN FOR A PRODUCTION OF ROMEO AND JULIET

image size: 36 by 23.5cm., 14 by 9¼in.

signed in Cyrillic l.r. and dated 22

gouache on paper

NOTE

For another version of this design please see S. Omarovich Kahn-Magomedov, Alexander Vesninn and Russian Constructivism, London: Lund Humphries, 1986, p.59

Vesnin's vision for Romeo and Juliet has been called 'baroque cubism' for its combination of geometricised forms and rich colour-scheme. The designs for this production are known to exist in preliminary and definitive versions. The inclusion of a curtain to the background of the offered lot suggests that it is probably from the latter series. For reasons unknown, Vesnin's designs were scrapped at the last minute and Alexandra Exter was commissioned to redesign the entire production.