Clowns Skula and Yeroshka

Clowns Skula and Yeroshka takes its subject from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin, completed posthumously and premiered in 1890, which draws on the twelfth-century Russian epic The Tale of Igor's Campaign. Skula and Yeroshka are comic characters in the opera — buffoonish gusli players who desert Prince Igor's army before the fateful battle against the Polovtsy and spend the opera in comic self-preservation, ultimately singing the praises of whoever holds power. Roerich had intimate connections with Prince Igor: he designed memorable sets and costumes for a celebrated 1909 Ballets Russes production of the opera in Paris choreographed by Fokine, with the Polovtsian Dances becoming one of the most famous passages in the history of ballet. His continued engagement with characters from this opera in 1947 reflects the persistence of this creative relationship across four decades.

Oil on canvas with the characteristic flatness and bold color zoning of Roerich's figural work. Comic or folk figure pairs in his painting tend toward decorative symmetry and strong silhouette, the figures' interaction readable as much through their spatial relationship as through facial expression. Costume detail would reference his 1909 production designs.