{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1407785"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1407785/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4654/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY4654/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JY4654","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1407785/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1407785","accessionNumber":"S.266-2017","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Renard","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Posed stage photograph by Sasha of a scene from<i> Renard</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, taken in London, July 1929. This shows Nicolas Efimov as the Cock balanced on Leon Woizikowsky as the Fox. The ballet was choreographed by Serge Lifar to music by Igor Stravinsky, with set and costumes designed by Michel Larionov. It was first performed at the théâtre Sarah Bernhardt, Paris, on 21 May 1929 and was also performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London 15 July 1929. In total it received 10 performances.\r\nLifar’s creation of<i> Renard</i> was the second version for the Ballets Russes as on 18 May 1922, Bronislava Nijinska had choreographed an earlier production at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra, Paris. Both were based on a Russian folk tale the essence was how a Cat and Goat repeatedly rescue a Cock from a wily Fox in a series of disguises.\r\nThe 1929 programme notes Stravinsky’s directive that ‘the piece ought to be played by clowns, dancers or acrobats’ and observes that ‘<i>Renard</i> is a “burlesque story played and sung” of which the actors are on stage and the singers in the orchestra. The actors do not speak; it is the singers who speak for them.’ In Lifar's production the roles of the Goat, Cat and Cockerel were double cast and performed by both dancers and professional acrobats with four vocalists accompanying them.\r\nThe critic of <i>The Times</i> after seeing <i>Renard</i> in Paris reported ‘<i>Renard </i>is M. Lifar’s first attempt at choreography. For inspiration he has gone to the music-hall and the circus. There is not a step of conventional dancing from start to finish, but not a turn or trick from the repertory of the acrobat is omitted.’ Serge Diaghilev wrote a defence of ‘Acrobatics and Dancing’ published in <i>The Times</i> 13 July 1929  which also noted  that ‘Stravinsky is…the acrobat of sound, as Picasso is the acrobat of outline’ and that constructivist elements could be found in the new repertoire for 1929. Cyril Beaumont who only saw a dress rehearsal and one performance recalled a ‘vague memory of seeing agile forms leap on to the platform and thence to the ground; of other figures whirling in somersaults and cart-wheels; of dancers succeeded by acrobats, and vice versa; of acrobats performing on a trapeze.’\r\n","physicalDescription":"Stage photograph of <i>Renard</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, May 1929. The photograph shows Leon Woizikovsky as the Fox lying on his back, lifting a dancer playing the Cock on his knees.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sasha","id":"AUTH331526"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2017JY4654"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES356683"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1929","earliest":"1929-01-01","latest":"1929-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"240","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"190","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph by Sasha of Nicolas Efimov as the Cock balanced on Leon Woizikowsky as the Fox in <i>Renard</i>, performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, July 1929","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.266-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"266","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2017-08-02","availableToBook":true}}