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.

Lev Ivanov (1834-1901) was born in Moscow where he began his ballet training before moving to St Petersburg. There he became a dancer, mime, ballet master and assistant to Marius Petipa. He choreographed a number of significant ballets and was responsible for the lakeside scenes of the 1895 Swan Lake. The caricature shows a rather worn and pensive man and the worn appearance particularly of his shoes suggests his perennial shortage of money.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePrint Collection (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Chromolithograph
Brief description
Caricature by Nicolai and Sergei Legat of choreographer, Lev Ivanoff, ca.1902.
Physical description
Caricature of L. Ivanoff by Nicolai and Sergei Legat. The subject is shown turning to his right, smoking a cigarette. He is wearing a green-grey coat and grey striped trousers and pince nez.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.5cm
  • Width: 23.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'L. IVANOFF' (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.)
  • '86' (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.

Lev Ivanov (1834-1901) was born in Moscow where he began his ballet training before moving to St Petersburg. There he became a dancer, mime, ballet master and assistant to Marius Petipa. He choreographed a number of significant ballets and was responsible for the lakeside scenes of the 1895 Swan Lake. The caricature shows a rather worn and pensive man and the worn appearance particularly of his shoes suggests his perennial shortage of money.
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. Wiley, Roland John The Life and Ballets of Lev Ivanov: Choreographer (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1997)
Collection
Accession number
S.3143-2010

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Record createdDecember 3, 2010
Record URL
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