The Great‘s two main characters may be married, but Peter and Catherine do not get along, something that’s routinely expressed through costume. In almost every scene, they’re in opposing colours: Catherine in pale greens and yellows that suggest her innocence before joining the Russian court, which Peter starkly contrasts in brooding jewel tones and darker colours. But in the episode “Meatballs at the Dacha”, for a brief moment, they’re aligned, in both story and costume. Each want to broker peace with Sweden, and Catherine’s political savvy is an invaluable counterpoint to Peter’s reckless bravado. Is it love? No, but it might be a winning strategy.
Peter wearing his Dacha costume during negotiations with the Swedish king. Warning: strong language.
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Collection
Not in ACMI's collection
Previously on display
26 April 2022
ACMI: Gallery 1
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Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
Curatorial section
The Story of the Moving Image → Moving Worlds → MW-04. Costume Design → MW-04-C01
Object Types
Costume/costume element