{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1289649"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1289649/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HL0415/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HL0415/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HL0415","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1289649","accessionNumber":"S.654-2014","objectType":"Illustration","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"A coloured illustration by Adrian Allinson shows four energetic warriors pulling their bows while their chief leaps in the middle of the group. Signed ‘Allinson’ on the base in the bottom left hand corner.\n\nThe Polovtsian dances from Prince Igor was a key ballet in the repertoire of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes as it was performed at over a quarter of all the performances they gave. It was a superb showcase for the virility of the male dancers and was re-arranged by successive choreographers. The Polovtsian dances were a highlight of Diaghilev’s 1909 Saison Russe and first performed at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 19 May 1909 (having been seen at the répétition générale the day before.\r\nThe production when this drawing was made was credited music by Borodin, choreography by Mikhail Fokine and sets and costumes designed by Nicholas Roerich. It was first presented at the London Coliseum on 16 September 1918. When Allinson made his drawing the Polovtsian Chief was usually danced by Léonide Massine.\r\n\r\nThe synopsis given in the London programmes 1918-1919 reads\r\n‘The story of Prince Igor is one of the oldest of Russian legends. The hero, who lived from 1151 to 1202, was Prince Seversk, a petty state of Russia of those days. In 1185 he led an expedition against Polovtsi, a Tartar tribe, in the plains of the Don. He was taken prisoner with his son Vladimir, but the mighty Khan Kontchak, ruler of the Polovtsi, was magnanimous and hospitable. Instead of treating the two Princes as captives, he gave a banquet in their honour, followed by dancers in which the warriors and their womenfolk took part.’\r\n\r\nAllinson's drawings appear to have been intended for a volume in the series Impressions of the Russian Ballet which never appeared. Possibly there was too little narrative to the ballet to justify Prince Igor’s inclusion in the series. Allinson nevertheless produced a print of the ballet which was marketed.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Coloured illustration by Adrian Allinson showing four energetic warriors pulling their bows while their chief leaps in the middle of the group. Signed ‘Allinson’ on the base in the bottom left hand corner","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Allinson, Adrian Paul ROI, RBA","id":"A5457"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and black ink and watercolour on paper ","categories":[{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2015HL0415"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES352254"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Illustration","id":"x33379"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"Drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1918","earliest":"1913-01-01","latest":"1922-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"19.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"23.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Allinson","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed on left hand side of base"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Illustration by Adrian Allinson showing the Polovtsian Chief in the ballet, The Polovtsian dances from Prince Igor, as performed by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes probably at the London Coliseum in 1918","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[{"text":"Diaghilev Ballets Russes","id":"C7870"}],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.654-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"654","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-07","recordCreationDate":"2014-04-01","availableToBook":true}}