{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1254555"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1254555/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JE1247/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JE1247/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JE1247","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1254555","accessionNumber":"S.995-2012","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Firebird","type":""},{"title":"L'Oiseau de feu","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"Page of a sketch book showing detailed drawing made by Valentine Gross, c 1910, depicting Karsavina in <i>Firebird,</i> created for the 1910 Saison Russe presented by Serge Diaghilev.\n\nThe title role of the Firebird was created by Tamara Karsavina  at Théâtre  de l'Opéra on 25 June 1910 and also performed at Théâtre du Chatelet in 1912. The Firebird was Serge Diaghilev's first entirely original work wth the narrative adapted from folk tales, the choreography by Mikhail Fokine, the score by Igor Stravinsky and the designs by Alexander Golovin with additional costumes by Leon Bakst.\n\nThis drawing shows hthe firebird soaring through the Garden at the opening of the ballet. As Karsavina noted ‘Two basic steps, grand jetés and pas de bourrées form the main fabric of the firebird’s part.’ The colours of the Firebird’s diaphanous costume – green, red and orange are indicated.\r\n\r\nSome of the sketches, including this one, feature in the book <i>Nijinsky on Stage</i> by Richard Buckle, published in London by Studio Vista in 1971. This drawing, which features in the book on page 55, is part of a series of four pages of working drawings/ sketches showing Valentine Gross working process from preminary sketches to finish drawing. Richard Buckle showed several of Valentine Gross’s sketches to Tamara Karsavina and she picked this as giving the most truthful impression. The sketches are part of the Valentine Gross Archive (THM/165), held by the V&amp;A. Valentine Gross Archive contains research material and artwork, including sketches, studies, drawings, pastels and illustrations. Only the artwork materials have been catalogued with museum numbers and given item level descriptions found in the Explore the Collections webpage. \r\n\r\nValentine Gross (1887 – 1968) was a French student at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and was still a student when the Russian dancers first performed in Paris.  She became a ballet enthusiast, illustrator, researcher and painter. Valentine Gross witnessed annual seasons of Diaghilev Ballets Russes in Paris and made preminary sketches during performances and rehearsals between 1909 and 1914.  She later worked them up into pencil or coloured drawings of various degrees of finish including illustrations and paintings.\nWith the sketches made at rehearsal and performance she captured the essence of the ballets. She would work up the images into pastels which she displayed in theatre foyers and sold to <i>Comoedia Illustré</i>. Gross was married to the designer Jean Hugo 1919 (they later divorced) and it was a result of Richard Buckle’s friendship with Hugo that they were acquired by the V&amp;A. \n\r\n\n\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Detailed drawing in pencil and watercolour depicting Karsavina leaping sideways, stretched legs and arms, front only, detached from original sketchbook.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Valentine Gross","id":"A1811"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil and watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2016JE1247"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES352280"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c 1910","earliest":"1905-01-01","latest":"1914-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"THM/165","id":"ARC64839"},"association":"Archive record"}],"creditLine":"Given by Jean Hugo","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by Jean Hugo via Friends of the Museum of Performance","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Page of a sketch book showing detailed drawing made by Valentine Gross, c 1910, depicting Karsavina in <i>Firebird,</i> .created for the 1910 Saison Russe presented by Serge Diaghilev","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cyril W Beaumont <i>Impressions of the Russian Ballet: LOiseau de feu</i> (London 1919)\r\nRichard Buckle <i>Nijinsky on Stage</i> (London 1971)\r\nA.E. Johnson <i>The Russian Ballet</i> (London 1913)\r\nTamara Karsavina 'Firebird'<i> Dancing Times</i> May 1954 p.483"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Firebird"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.995-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"995","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"THM/165"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2012-09-13","availableToBook":true}}