Drawing
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Illustration by Vera Willoughby/Vera Petrovna of Leonide Massine in Le Soleil de nuit which was probably executed for a proposed monograph on Massine similar to those published by Cyril Beaumont on Tchernicheva, Lopokova and Idzikowski.
The Midnight Sun (Le Soleil de Nuit) was Massine's first ballet, premiered at the Grand Theatre in Geneva on 20 December 1915, with designs by Michel Larionov, music by Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov and with Massine in the title role. it was a series of formal dances, founded on Russian folk dances, presented in a stylised Russian setting. Cyril Beaumont described how 'Finally the Sun God appeared in a radiant costume of fire red and gold, his breast decorated with a giant sun and holding a resplendent gold and red sun in each hand, which scintillated as they were passed rapidly in front of each other or shot out at arm’s length at various angles.'
Massine described his own role was 'based on classical movements, I made use of broad arm movements, and strengthened my performance with rapidly repeated elevations…Larionov had designed for me a sumptuous glittering costume with a fantastic headdress of burning red suns which glowed against the inky-blue of the midnight sky. Attached to my hands by elastic were two more gold suns, the size of dinner plates, decorated with jagged red borders. As I danced, I flashed them in rapidly alternating rhythms, to the left, to the right, over my head, down below my knees. In order to sustain the illusion of a revolving sun, I was forced to keep every muscle in my body in constant motion until the end of the dance.'
The Midnight Sun (Le Soleil de Nuit) was Massine's first ballet, premiered at the Grand Theatre in Geneva on 20 December 1915, with designs by Michel Larionov, music by Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov and with Massine in the title role. it was a series of formal dances, founded on Russian folk dances, presented in a stylised Russian setting. Cyril Beaumont described how 'Finally the Sun God appeared in a radiant costume of fire red and gold, his breast decorated with a giant sun and holding a resplendent gold and red sun in each hand, which scintillated as they were passed rapidly in front of each other or shot out at arm’s length at various angles.'
Massine described his own role was 'based on classical movements, I made use of broad arm movements, and strengthened my performance with rapidly repeated elevations…Larionov had designed for me a sumptuous glittering costume with a fantastic headdress of burning red suns which glowed against the inky-blue of the midnight sky. Attached to my hands by elastic were two more gold suns, the size of dinner plates, decorated with jagged red borders. As I danced, I flashed them in rapidly alternating rhythms, to the left, to the right, over my head, down below my knees. In order to sustain the illusion of a revolving sun, I was forced to keep every muscle in my body in constant motion until the end of the dance.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and gouache on art board |
| Brief description | Drawing by Vera Willoughby of Leonide Massine in the title role of his ballet Le Soleil de nuit or "The Midnight Sun". Watercolour and gouache. |
| Physical description | Full length male figure leaping with bent back, knees bent back, left arm bent behind head and right arm outstretched, wearing pale vermilion sleeveless tunic, edged in yellow, and trousers, with a face painted on the tunic and serrated appliques on the inner legs of the trousers; the sleeves are yellow and the hands are covered by large yellow 'sun' discs with pale vermilion serrated edging; the boots are spotted yellow and the skull cap is pale vermilion with a yellow and pale vermilion band. The figure is set against a black background with a swirling yellow and grey floor as a stylized spotlight. Under the drawing inscribed "Massine." Watercolour and gouache. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest |
| Object history | The drawing came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Illustration by Vera Willoughby/Vera Petrovna of Leonide Massine in Le Soleil de nuit which was probably executed for a proposed monograph on Massine similar to those published by Cyril Beaumont on Tchernicheva, Lopokova and Idzikowski. The Midnight Sun (Le Soleil de Nuit) was Massine's first ballet, premiered at the Grand Theatre in Geneva on 20 December 1915, with designs by Michel Larionov, music by Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov and with Massine in the title role. it was a series of formal dances, founded on Russian folk dances, presented in a stylised Russian setting. Cyril Beaumont described how 'Finally the Sun God appeared in a radiant costume of fire red and gold, his breast decorated with a giant sun and holding a resplendent gold and red sun in each hand, which scintillated as they were passed rapidly in front of each other or shot out at arm’s length at various angles.' Massine described his own role was 'based on classical movements, I made use of broad arm movements, and strengthened my performance with rapidly repeated elevations…Larionov had designed for me a sumptuous glittering costume with a fantastic headdress of burning red suns which glowed against the inky-blue of the midnight sky. Attached to my hands by elastic were two more gold suns, the size of dinner plates, decorated with jagged red borders. As I danced, I flashed them in rapidly alternating rhythms, to the left, to the right, over my head, down below my knees. In order to sustain the illusion of a revolving sun, I was forced to keep every muscle in my body in constant motion until the end of the dance.' |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.439-2000 |
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| Record created | April 3, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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