Constantin Alexeyevich KOROVIN (Moscow, 1861 - Paris, 1939) Costume design for "Grigori" from the opera "Boris Godunov" (1934) Watercolour, gouache and ink on paper, signed and dated lower right "Constant Korovine 1934", titled upper right "Boris Godounow / Grigori". Framed. Sight size: 40 x 28 cm Provenance - Grégoire HALEVY known as Grégoire RAISSOFF (18.. - Paris, 1973), opera tenor. - Then by descent. History Premiered in 1874, Modest Mussorgsky's opera "Boris Godunov", based on Alexander Pushkin's play, occupies a central place in the Russian operatic repertoire. the Russian operatic repertoire: a dramatic work with a realistic and historical aesthetic, it marked a major stage in the modernisation of opera. the modernisation of Russian opera. For the 1908 performance at the Bolshoi Theatre, the sets and costumes were entrusted to Konstantin Korovine, who created a rich visual universe directly inspired by ancestral Russian traditions. traditions. At the time when the great Fyodor Shalyapin played the title role for the glory of the last Tsar of all the Russias, he was accompanied on stage by a remarkable tenor with a clear, "almost white" timbre, by the name of Grégoire Raïssoff, who played the role of Prince Chouin. the role of Prince Chouïsky. An important figure in the first generation of performers, he developed a passion for the passion for the Russian repertoire, in particular Rimsky-Korsakov's 'The Golden Cockerel'. For this faithful reinterpretation of the original spirit, he called on Constantin Korovine. More than 1,500 m² of painted canvases and two hundred sumptuous costumes bear witness to the exceptional care taken in this reconstruction. Precious fabrics such as silks, velvets, brocades and lamé were used, The precious fabrics, silks, velvets, brocades and lamé, were enriched with hand-painted motifs and sometimes adorned with gold and silver powders. Specialised craftsmen also made shields, armour, swords, halberds, helmets, boots and wigs, while others produced jewellery, tiaras and crowns in coloured glass. While some of the costumes were sold in Paris in 1978 by the daughter of Grégoire Raïssoff, the sets and costumes presented in this sale are completely new. They were all made by Korovine for this 1934 production, and have remained in Grégoire Raïssoff's family to this day. This rediscovery sheds valuable light on Korovine's scenographic corpus, revealing a late and little-known facet of his work, a few years before his death, and testifying to his commitment to the arts. and testifying to his sincere commitment to opera and ballet right up to the end of his career. Expert: Maxime Charron - 06 5000 6551 - maxime-charron.com Lots can be collected by appointment from 17 September in Paris XVe (Métro : Pasteur)