An illustration of a figure in a black jacket and a blue and white striped shirt. They wear a black hat and hold a green bottle in one hand.

Beautiful paintings of the drunkards and typists of the Russian ballet

Words: Emily Gosling
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Date: 17 November 2014; Work
Art
Illustration

We’re no ballet aficionados, but we wouldn’t usually associate drunkards, typists and factory workers with the grace and poise of the discipline. However, as these beautiful gouache painting by Tatiana Bruni show, there’s much more to ballet than tutus and swan lake, with her angular figures, bold colours and sometimes grotesquely postured characters. The paintings show costume designs for Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1931 ballet The Bolt, and are going on show at London’s Gallery for Russian Arts and Design alongside a series of period photographs. The ballet itself was bold and striking in its use of real hammers, machine-inspired choreography, aerobics and acrobatics, and the costume images are equally as dynamic, inspired by “the aesthetics of agit-theatre and artist-designed propaganda posters”, according to the gallery. The sense of movement is palpable, whether in the graceful billowing dresses or the staggering legs of our brightly-coloured drunkard, working against the geometric rigidity of the style to beautiful effect.

A stylised illustration of a person in a black suit and bow tie, leaning forward. They carry a large green folder under one arm and have pencils tucked into a pocket. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: Kozelkov, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a stylised figure wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a dark blue waistcoat with red pockets. They hold a long thin rod with a red and blue patterned ball at the end. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: The Carter, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

A stylised illustration of a figure wearing a black and white striped dress and a black cloche hat. A large pink bow is tied around their waist, and they carry a black rectangular bag. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: Kozelkov’s Girlfriend, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

A costume design illustration of a figure wearing a black apron over tan clothing and a dark cap. A sheer white veil covers their face, and they hold a long thin staff in one hand. Handwritten notes in Cyrillic surround the figure on the cream paper. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: Factory Worker, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a figure standing in a wide stance, wearing a red and white top with black trousers. Handwritten text in Cyrillic is scribbled in the top left corner. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a figure leaning back with a bottle in each hand. They wear a black jacket over a blue and white striped shirt, blue trousers with yellow patches, and a blue cap. Handwritten Russian text is scribbled across the lower left of the page. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: The Drunkard, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a figure on roller skates, wearing a red headscarf and a purple and red striped top. They wear dark shorts and red skates, posed against a plain cream background with handwritten notes. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: Olga, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a figure in a yellow military uniform with fringed epaulettes. They lean over a grey horizontal bar, their hands gripping the edge. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: The Japanese Marine, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a stylised figure in a black dress with a wide, ruffled grey skirt. They wear a large black bow on their head and long black gloves, posed against a plain cream background. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: The Terrorist, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

An illustration of a stylised figure wearing round glasses, a white top with black accents, and a pleated black skirt. They hold a small black object with a red detail, leaning back against a plain beige background. — Above
Tatiana Bruni: The Typist, costume design for The Bolt, 1931
Courtesy GRAD and St Petersburg Museum of Theatre and Music

Further Info

www.grad-london.com

About the Author

Emily Gosling

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Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

Beautiful paintings of the drunkards and typists of the Russian ballet

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