Preliminary sketch showing Maiden from Le Sacre du Printemps, Diaghilev Ballets Russes. Sketch by Valentine Gross, ca. 1913.

Diaghilev Ballets Russes Le Sacre du Printemps,also known as The Rite of Spring choreographed by Nijinsky and decor by Nicholas Roerich was first premiered in Paris at Théâtre de Champs-Elysées on 29 May 1913, according to Diaghilev and The Golden Age of The Ballets Russes 1909 - 1929, edited by Jane Pritchard, first published by V&A Publishing in 2010.

This sketch is part of the Valentine Gross Archive (THM/165), held by the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance. Valentine Gross Archive contains research material and artwork, including sketches, studies, drawings, pastels and illustrations. Only the artwork materials have been catalogued with museum numbers and given item level descriptions found in the Search the Collections webpage.

Valentine Gross, a.k.a. Valentine Hugo, was a French art student in Paris in the 1910s. She became a ballet enthusiast, illustrator, researcher and painter. Valentine Gross witnessed annual seasons of Diaghilev Ballets Russes in Paris and made preminary sketches during performances and rehearsals between 1909 and 1914. She later worked them up into pencil or coloured drawings of various degrees of finish including illustrations and paintings.

Some of the sketches feature in the book Nijinsky on Stage by Richard Buckle, published in London by Studio Vista in 1971. This preliminary sketch does not feature in the book, but can be associated with illustration S.858-2012.