This gouache drawing by Vladimir Petrovich Panov titled “Arbenin and Zvezdich at the Playing House” is one of the 50 works of the series dedicated to Mikhail Lermontov’s play “Masquerade”. They are housed by the Mikhail Lermontov State Museum-Reserve.
In this work, the artist depicted a scene from the playing house. As in his other drawings, the artist’s vision demanded a vertical composition. This is the second subscene of the first scene in the first act, which in essence is the very beginning of Lermontov’s play.
Behind an oval card table are two figures: Arbenin stands tall in a full-front position, while Prince Zvezdich dressed in an officer’s coat sits on a chair with his back turned to the viewer. The prince’s right hand rests on his knee, while the left one lies on the table; his gaze is directed at the money and cards scattered over the tabletop.
In the depths of the picture, the graphic artist depicted a group of players behind a massive column: before that, the characters in the first subscene of the first scene in the first act included Prince Zvezdich, Kazarin, Sprich, and the players. There is a statue behind the prince. Such pieces of art are featured in most of Vladimir Panov’s illustrations for the play “Masquerade”.
The second subscene shows the meeting of Arbenin and Zvezdich; the former finds out that the prince has lost a great sum of money and after some deliberation sits down at the playing table to help the prince out:
In this work, the artist depicted a scene from the playing house. As in his other drawings, the artist’s vision demanded a vertical composition. This is the second subscene of the first scene in the first act, which in essence is the very beginning of Lermontov’s play.
Behind an oval card table are two figures: Arbenin stands tall in a full-front position, while Prince Zvezdich dressed in an officer’s coat sits on a chair with his back turned to the viewer. The prince’s right hand rests on his knee, while the left one lies on the table; his gaze is directed at the money and cards scattered over the tabletop.
In the depths of the picture, the graphic artist depicted a group of players behind a massive column: before that, the characters in the first subscene of the first scene in the first act included Prince Zvezdich, Kazarin, Sprich, and the players. There is a statue behind the prince. Such pieces of art are featured in most of Vladimir Panov’s illustrations for the play “Masquerade”.
The second subscene shows the meeting of Arbenin and Zvezdich; the former finds out that the prince has lost a great sum of money and after some deliberation sits down at the playing table to help the prince out:
