The Sea Princess (Nadezhda Zabela-Vrubel in Rimsky-Korsakov's opera Sadko), sketch

This sketch depicts Nadezhda Zabela-Vrubel — the artist's wife and celebrated coloratura soprano — in the role of the Sea Princess in Rimsky-Korsakov's opera Sadko, for which Vrubel had designed sets and costumes. Nadezhda Zabela was one of the leading sopranos of the Russian opera world, strongly associated with Rimsky-Korsakov's work, and her career was deeply intertwined with Vrubel's artistic production: he designed her costumes, painted her portraits, and drew inspiration for his female Symbolist figures from her appearance and artistry. Sadko, with its underwater kingdom and the Sea Princess, was a natural vehicle for his imagination: the aquatic supernatural realm, the transformation of the human into the elemental, and the decorative richness of the undersea setting aligned perfectly with his visual preoccupations. The Finnish National Gallery holds this sketch within its collection of Russian and Nordic art.

As a stage costume and production sketch, the work prioritizes visualization of the character's appearance over highly finished technique. The decorative elements — the elaborate oceanic costume details — are carefully developed to serve theatrical design needs.