{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1389199"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1389199/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4772/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4772/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JY4772","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1389199/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1389199","accessionNumber":"S.386-2017","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Les Biches","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Studio photograph by Georges Detaille of Felia Doubrovska in a costume designed by Marie Laurencin for the ballet <i>Les Biches</i>, choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. The ballet was first performed at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo on 6 January 1924.\n\nThis is one of a series of studio photographs showing dancers in costumes and poses from <i>Les Biches</i>, taken from volume 2 of <i>Les Biches</i>, published by Editions des Quatres Chemin, 1924. Two dancers, Felia Doubrovska and Ninette de Valois, modelled the costumes worn by the corps be ballet in the Rondeau. \n\n<i>Les Biches</i> - literally <i>The Does</i> (female deer) -  is a ballet of atmosphere without a central plot. It depicts the interactions and relationships between characters, with an ambiguous blend of innocence and corruption. It is set at a summer house party and, for its UK premiere at the London Coliseum on 25 May 1925 it was renamed <i>The House Party</i>.\n\nFelia Doubrovska (1896-1981) trained at the Imperial Ballet in St Petersburg, graduating into the company at the Mariinsky Theatre in 1913. In 1920 she left the Soviet Union via Finland and, with her partner Pierre Vladimirov, joined Maria Kuznetsova's Russian season at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, where she made an impression in the solo, Valse Bluette. Doubrovska and Vladimirov were invited to join the Ballets Russes for <i>The Sleeping Princess</i>, in which she performed as the Fairy of the Pine Woods, a duchess and as Sister Anne. During the run, in January 1922, she married Vladimirov. With the Ballets Russes, she created the roles of the Bride in Bronislava Nijinska's <i>Les Noces</i>, the Ballerina in Léonide Massine's <i>Ode</i>, and was the Film Star in <i>La Pastorale</i>, Calliope in <i>Apollon musagète</i> and the Siren in <i>The Prodigal Son</i>, all choreographed by George Balanchine, Tall and slim, Doubrovska's physical appearance became a template for a 'Balanchine dancer'.\n\nDoubrovska briefly danced with Anna Pavlova's company, became ballerina at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and with the Ballet de l'Opèra Ruses, as well as with Serge Lifar. Her performing career ended with performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1939. She settled with Vladimirov in the USA, both becoming influential teachers at the School of American Ballet. \n\n\n \n\n","physicalDescription":"Studio photograph of Felia Doubrouska in a costume for <i>Les Biches</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Full length. She wears a knee-length dress and a headdress of a single ostrich feather.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Detaille, Georges","id":"AUTH346355"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"},{"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":["2017JY4772"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES343884"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Monte Carlo","id":"x37235"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1924","earliest":"1924-01-01","latest":"1924-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Felia Doubrouska in \"Les Biches\" / Presented by Albert W. King Dec 1934'\n","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 V&A's Gabrielle Enthoven Collection by Albert W. King, December 1934. King was involved in the publicising of UK performances by the Ballet Russes in the 1920s.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Studio photograph by Georges Detaille of Felia Doubrovska in a costume designed by Marie Laurencin for <i>Les Biches</i>, chorographed by Bronislava Nijinska for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1924","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.386-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"386","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-13","recordCreationDate":"2017-04-06","availableToBook":true}}