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PH1750
Photographs: PH1750
Title
Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov and Andrey Nikolayevich Lavrentyev in Ibsen's 'Brand'
Subject
Artist
Date
1906
Dimensions
height: 9cm
width: 14cm
width: 14cm
Provenance
Presented by Michael Gaunt, September 2023.
Other number
E0146
This postcard depicts Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov in the role of Brand and Andrey Nikolayevich Lavrentyev in an untitled role, from Henrik Ibsen's play 'Brand'.
Kachalov was an early member of the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT), which was formed in 1898 and Lavrentyev joined later. The actor Konstantin Stanislavski and his co-founder, the writer and drama teacher, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, wanted to break away from the state-run theatres, bring back high standards and professionalism in acting, and strive towards emotional truth and realism in their performances. Henrik Ibsen wrote ‘Brand’ in 1865 and it was performed by the Moscow Art Theatre in 1906. ‘Brand’ was the sixth of seven plays by Ibsen that the company produced.
The play follows an idealistic and uncompromising priest called ‘Brand’ as he encounters different people while wandering the Norwegian mountains. The postcard possibly depicts a scene in Act 3 where Brand is outside a garden wall and gate that leads to a parsonage where his wife Agnes is about to give birth to their son.
Kachalov and Lavrentyav are depicted full-length. On the left, Lavrentyav stands by the gate, and wears a white shirt tucked in to trousers with a hooded coat, long socks and shoes. On the right, Kachalov sits on a rock and he wears a black suit with white-collared shirt and black coat over the top.
The set was designed by Viktor Andreyevich Simov who was the principal scenographer for MAT between 1898-1912.
Kachalov was an early member of the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT), which was formed in 1898 and Lavrentyev joined later. The actor Konstantin Stanislavski and his co-founder, the writer and drama teacher, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, wanted to break away from the state-run theatres, bring back high standards and professionalism in acting, and strive towards emotional truth and realism in their performances. Henrik Ibsen wrote ‘Brand’ in 1865 and it was performed by the Moscow Art Theatre in 1906. ‘Brand’ was the sixth of seven plays by Ibsen that the company produced.
The play follows an idealistic and uncompromising priest called ‘Brand’ as he encounters different people while wandering the Norwegian mountains. The postcard possibly depicts a scene in Act 3 where Brand is outside a garden wall and gate that leads to a parsonage where his wife Agnes is about to give birth to their son.
Kachalov and Lavrentyav are depicted full-length. On the left, Lavrentyav stands by the gate, and wears a white shirt tucked in to trousers with a hooded coat, long socks and shoes. On the right, Kachalov sits on a rock and he wears a black suit with white-collared shirt and black coat over the top.
The set was designed by Viktor Andreyevich Simov who was the principal scenographer for MAT between 1898-1912.
