{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1625619"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1625619/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MY2304/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MY2304/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MY2304","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1625619","accessionNumber":"S.470-2021","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Olga Spessivtziva","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Olga Spessivtzeva (1895-1991) was an acclaimed ballerina of the old (Imperial) Russian School. She graduated into the Imperial Ballet in 1913 and was soon dancing leading roles. In 1916 she joined Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes on their second tour of the USA where she made her American debut dancing with Nijinsky in <i>Le Spectre de la rose</i>. She returned to the Ballets Russes to dance Aurora in <i>The Sleeping Princess</i> (1921-22) and again in 1927, when she created <i>La Chatte</i>, and in 1929 when her roles included Odette in <i>Swan Lake</i>. Giselle was one of her most famous roles which she danced in Paris and London. Spessivtzeva danced extensively in France and internationally, but her career was halted by poor mental health which led to her being institutionalised, 1943-1963. She eventually settled at a farm run by the Tolstoy Foundation in upstate New York. \n\nSpessivtzeva was a remarkable dancer – described as looking ‘as fragile as an ice-crystal; as insubstantial as vapour. Her technique was impeccable and utterly effortless; she never ‘faked’, and a calm, glowing integrity informed all she did.’","physicalDescription":"Three quarter length photograph of Olga Spessivtziva in the Bakst-designed costume for Aurora in the Ballets Russes production of <i>The Sleeping Princess</i>. She wears a knee-length decorated tutu, but not the white wig worn by other dancers in the role of Aurora.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hoppé, Emil Otto","id":"A15936"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":"This is a photo-reproduction by S. Georges of a photograph by Hoppé."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph","categories":[{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021MY2304"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES356629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1921","earliest":"1921-01-01","latest":"1921-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"15","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Molly / Olga Spessiva / London / 1.II.22' ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Ballerina's signature. The photograph is likely to have been given to dancer and teacher, Molly Lake."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph by Hoppé of Olga Spessivtziva as Aurora  in <i>The Sleeping Princess</i>, 1921","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.470-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"470","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-08-12","recordCreationDate":"2021-05-22","availableToBook":true}}