Not currently on display at the V&A

Print Collection

Print
ca. 1902 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Nicolai Legat (1869-1937) and his brother Sergei (1875-1905) were dancers, choreographers, teachers of ballet and caricaturists. Both worked for the Russian Imperial Ballet. Nicolai became an important teacher and after leaving the Imperial Ballet in 1914 went on to teach dance in Russia, Paris and London, where he eventually settled. Sergei, regarded as the greater choreographer and perceived as the natural successor to Pavel Gerdt as the Imperial Ballet's Premier danseur noble, committed suicide, aged 30.

The brothers worked together to produce caricatures of fellow dancers, choreographers and musicians at the Russian Imperial Ballet.

Vasily Tikhomirov (1876-1956) was a Russian dancer, teacher and choreographer with a conservative approach. He danced primarily with the Bolshoi (where he was trained) but also in Dance Dream at the Alhambra, London in 1911 and with Anna Pavlova in 1913. His roles included Mars in Clustine's The Stars, Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Albrecht (Giselle), Basilio (Don Quixote), Solor (La Bayadere) and Conrad in a new staging of Le Corsaire by Gorsky. Initially a slim elegant dancer he put on weight as can be seen in the film footage of him partnering his first wife Ekateina Geltzer. His most notable choreography was The Red Poppy in 1927.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePrint Collection (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Chromolithograph
Brief description
Caricature by Nicolai and Sergei Legat of W. Tichomiroff [Vasily Tikhomirov], ca.1902.
Physical description
Caricature of W. Tichomiroff by Nicolai and Sergei Legat. The subject is shown with his head facing the front and his body turned to his left. He is wearing a short silver tunic decorated with stars, silver tights and silver shoes.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.2cm
  • Width: 23.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'W. TICHOMIROFF' (Printed, lower right hand corner. The name also appears in Russian, lower left hand corner, and the artists' names are printed to the right of the figure.)
  • '64' (Number in pencil in upper right hand corner.)
Credit line
Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest
Object history
The image is taken from The Russian Ballet in Caricatures, St Petersburg, 1902-1905, a portfolio of 95 prints.
Subject depicted
Summary
Nicolai Legat (1869-1937) and his brother Sergei (1875-1905) were dancers, choreographers, teachers of ballet and caricaturists. Both worked for the Russian Imperial Ballet. Nicolai became an important teacher and after leaving the Imperial Ballet in 1914 went on to teach dance in Russia, Paris and London, where he eventually settled. Sergei, regarded as the greater choreographer and perceived as the natural successor to Pavel Gerdt as the Imperial Ballet's Premier danseur noble, committed suicide, aged 30.

The brothers worked together to produce caricatures of fellow dancers, choreographers and musicians at the Russian Imperial Ballet.

Vasily Tikhomirov (1876-1956) was a Russian dancer, teacher and choreographer with a conservative approach. He danced primarily with the Bolshoi (where he was trained) but also in Dance Dream at the Alhambra, London in 1911 and with Anna Pavlova in 1913. His roles included Mars in Clustine's The Stars, Jean de Brienne (Raymonda), Albrecht (Giselle), Basilio (Don Quixote), Solor (La Bayadere) and Conrad in a new staging of Le Corsaire by Gorsky. Initially a slim elegant dancer he put on weight as can be seen in the film footage of him partnering his first wife Ekateina Geltzer. His most notable choreography was The Red Poppy in 1927.
Bibliographic reference
Legat, N. & S, Russky Balet v Karikatura, St Petersburg 1902-05 Legat, N. Ballet Russe London, 1939 Gregory, John. The Legat Saga - Golden Years of the Russian Ballet: the life and times of Nicolai Legat ( London: Javog Publishing Associates, 1992), p.18. Souritz, Elizabeth Soviet Choreographers in the 1920s trans Lynn Visson (Durham & London 1984) Smakov, Gennady The Great Russian Dancers (New York 1984)
Collection
Accession number
S.3116-2010

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Record createdDecember 1, 2010
Record URL
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