{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O58714"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58714/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GW1210/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GW1210/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GW1210","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O58714","accessionNumber":"S.423-2000","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Stylised illustration by Roberto Montenegro in pen and ink and blue wash of Vaslav Nijinsky as Harlequin in Mikhail Fokine's ballet, Carnaval. Montenegro shows Nijinsky rather taller and streamlined than the 5'4\" stocky dancer he was. He has, however, captured Nijinsky's neck and face. The illustration does not so much capture a moment from the ballet as suggest its atmosphere.\n \nMontenegro produced ten drawings of Nijinsky in black and white highlighted in gold and offered them to Cyril Beaumont who purchased them on the condition that he could publish them in a 'small edition'.   This drawing is one of Montenegro's originals with the gold areas blocked out before printing and was Plate 3 in the portfolio.  It was reproduced as an illustration to Vogue's 'America as Host to the Ballet Russe' December 1915\n\nThe popular pantomime-ballet, Carnaval, was described by Tamara Karsavina as being ‘very gay, and very mischievous, in the old tradition of commedia dell’arte’. It was choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to music by Robert Schumann orchestrated by Rimsky-Kosakov, Liadov, Glazunov and Tcherepin. Vaslav Nijinsky did not appear in the premier of Carnaval and took over the role of Harlequin in 1911. The high-waisted, lozenge-decorated tights he wears are the revised version of the costume designed by Léon Bakst.","physicalDescription":"Full length male figure half disappearing behind curtain spotted with small chalk blue circles with black centres and accented at the edge by a chalk blue 'comma', wearing white shirt with low neck and exaggerated collar, full sleeve and frilled cuff and a bold black necktie; the tights are high waisted and chequered black and white with a belt in small black and white cheques.  The upper face and head are covered by a black skull cap and half mask and the figure carrys a Harlequin's bat coloured chalk blue.  The floor is patterned in black and white and with large blue amoebid shapes in chalk  blue.  ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Montenegro, Robert","id":"A5469"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Indian ink","id":"x32680"},{"text":"Gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"Card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and Indian ink and gouache on card\r\n","categories":[{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GW1210"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES352257"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"270","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"194","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"\"MONTE / NEGRO\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"Pen and ink","method":"Handwriting","position":"Upper right hand corner","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":"Signature; Upper right hand corner; Handwriting; Pen and ink"}],"objectHistory":"The drawing came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Vaslav Nijinsky as Harlequin in Mikhail Fokine's ballet <i>Le Carnaval</i> by Robert Montenegro.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Montenegro, Robert, Vaslav Nijinsky an Artistic Interpretation of his Work in black, white and gold, C W Beaumont and Company, (c1913).  Introduction by C W Beaumont."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beaumont, Cyril W, Bookseller at the Ballet, Memoirs 1891-1929, C. W. Beaumont, London, 1975"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Nijinsky, Vaslav","id":"N1294"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Harlequin"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.423-2000"],"accessionNumberNum":"423","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2000,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-23","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-04","availableToBook":true}}