Lot Essay
During an illustrious career Benois organised the Russian section of the Munich Secession in 1896, illustrated Pushkin's Der eherne Reiter in 1905, was the curator of the Hermitage from 1918 to 1926 and worked extensively with Diaghilev's Ballet Russe in Paris from 1920 onwards.
After the great success of Tschaikowsky's opera Eugène Onegin which opened at the Münchner Nationaltheater in October 1938, Benois was commissioned to design the costumes for an even more lavish production of Tschaikowsky's Pique Dame in 1941. Clemens Krauss, who had directed Eugène Onegin, was aware that Benois had worked with Diaghilev on a production of Pique Dame in the early '20s and Benois was therefore the natural choice.
The resulting series of finished costume designs provides a remarkably broad overview of Benois' talent. The variety of designs include costumes for military officers, society ladies, tennis-playing children, dancing girls and splendidly dressed exotic noblemen.
Tragically, the opera was never staged (on a positive note this probably explains why this group of designs has survived together). Political differences between Germany and Russia during the Second World War led to the breakdown of relations between the two countries and it was immediately forbidden for the work of Russian composers to be performed in German theatres.
After the great success of Tschaikowsky's opera Eugène Onegin which opened at the Münchner Nationaltheater in October 1938, Benois was commissioned to design the costumes for an even more lavish production of Tschaikowsky's Pique Dame in 1941. Clemens Krauss, who had directed Eugène Onegin, was aware that Benois had worked with Diaghilev on a production of Pique Dame in the early '20s and Benois was therefore the natural choice.
The resulting series of finished costume designs provides a remarkably broad overview of Benois' talent. The variety of designs include costumes for military officers, society ladies, tennis-playing children, dancing girls and splendidly dressed exotic noblemen.
Tragically, the opera was never staged (on a positive note this probably explains why this group of designs has survived together). Political differences between Germany and Russia during the Second World War led to the breakdown of relations between the two countries and it was immediately forbidden for the work of Russian composers to be performed in German theatres.