{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1389183"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1389183/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4803/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4803/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JY4803","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1389183","accessionNumber":"S.378-2017","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Les Biches","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Studio photograph of the twenty-year-old Serge Lifar in <i>Les Biches</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, ca.1925  \r\n\n<i>Les Biches</i>, referred to in English as <i>The Houseparty</i> was choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska with sets and costumes designed by Marie Laurencin and the original costumes were executed by Mme Vera de Bosset Soudeikine  - La maison Julavera. It was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 6 January 1924 at Théâtre de Monte Carlo and first seen in London on 25 May 1925 at the Coliseum Theatre. <i>The Morning Post</i> described how in the 'Chanson Dansee' the three young men, often referred to as athletes because of their costumes, 'display their physical beauty'.  \r\n\nLifar's costume is a machine-knitted silk jersey one-piece (fastened at the shoulder) to suggest shorts and a singlet with a belt at the waist. He has sky-blue trunks and silver-grey vest stencilled with three sky-blue stripes worn with a white sash across his chest and white socks.\n\nSerge Lifar (1905-1986) was born in Kyiv and trained there with Bronislava Nijinska. He joined Diaghilev's Ballets Russes with other former pupils of Nijinska in 1923 where his stage presence attracted Diaghilev who had him was coached by Enrico Cecchetti to assume starring roles in 1925. He would become the ballet director of the Paris Opera and a significant choreographer.\n\nArthur King who gave a number of photographs of the Ballets Russes to Gabrielle Enthoven had a long involvement with Diaghilev's company and served as a publicist for the company in Britain.","physicalDescription":"Full-length studio photograph of Serge Lifar in costume <i>Les Biches</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. The dancer stands on demi pointe turned awat fom the camera his right arm raised. He wears shorts and singlet with belt and sash crossed from his left shoulder to right waist. He has white calf-length socks. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2017JY4803"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES343884"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Europe","id":"x28842"},"association":{"text":"Photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1925","earliest":"1925-01-01","latest":"1925-12-31"},"association":{"text":"Photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Serge Lifar\r\nLes Biches\r\nPresented (Albert W. King) Dec 1934\r\nNov 21 1925","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Given to the Gabrielle Enthoven Collection by Albert W. King, December 1934.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Studio photograph of Serge Lifar in <i>Les Biches</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1920s.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.378-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"378","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-13","recordCreationDate":"2017-04-06","availableToBook":true}}