Not on display

Boris Christoff as Boris Godunov in Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky. Painting by Leonard Boden (1911-1999)

Painting
1965 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Oil portrait of Boris Christoff as Boris Godunov, full length. He stands in an architectural setting at the head of a flight of steps (two visible). He wears a long gold robe, decorated all over with patterns in gold, red and blue jewels, and a crown. The crown is a jewelled gold cap, surmounted by a cross and trimmed with a wide band of fur. He holds a staff of office in his right hand. His hands are adorned with large rings.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBoris Christoff as Boris Godunov in <i>Boris Godunov</i> by Modest Mussorgsky. Painting by Leonard Boden (1911-1999) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Oil on canvas
Brief description
Painting entitled "Boris Christoff as Boris Godunov in Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky" by Leonard Boden, 1965
Physical description
Oil portrait of Boris Christoff as Boris Godunov, full length. He stands in an architectural setting at the head of a flight of steps (two visible). He wears a long gold robe, decorated all over with patterns in gold, red and blue jewels, and a crown. The crown is a jewelled gold cap, surmounted by a cross and trimmed with a wide band of fur. He holds a staff of office in his right hand. His hands are adorned with large rings.
Dimensions
  • Height: 139.8cm
  • Width: 120.8cm
Gallery label
(17/12/2014)
Boris Christoff in the opera Boris Godunov
1965

Boris Christoff (1914-1993) first sung the title-role of the opera Boris Godunov at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1958. He subsequently appeared there in seven revivals up to 1979, including one in 1965 during which this painting was undertaken. The artist Leonard Boden trained at the Glasgow School of Art and his paintings include 10 portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and one of Pope Pius XII.

Opera by Modest Mussorgsky, 1874,
revised by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1908
Royal Opera House, London
Oil on canvas
By Leonard Boden (1911-99)
Given by the sitter
Museum no. S.306-1979

Credit line
Given by the sitter
Subjects depicted
Literary reference<i>Boris Godunov</i>
Bibliographic reference
Ashton, Geoffrey. Catalogue of Paintings at the Theatre Museum, London. ed. James Fowler, London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 224p. ill. ISBN 1851771026
Collection
Accession number
S.306-1979

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Record createdNovember 13, 2003
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