-
Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in 'Le Carnaval' by Mikhail Fokine
Allinson, Adrian Paul - Enlarge image
Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in 'Le Carnaval' by Mikhail Fokine
- Object:
Painting
- Date:
ca. 1918 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Allinson, Adrian Paul (ROI, RBA), born 1890 - died 1959 (painter)
- Materials and Techniques:
Oil on millboard
- Credit Line:
Cyril W Beaumont Bequest
- Museum number:
S.102-1986
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Physical description
Seated female figure on a bench, 3/4 length facing left, wearing a white frilled dress with scalloped edges, decorated with touches of blue and pink with red cherries visible bottom left; her left hand is raised to her cheek, the right rests upturned in her lap. Signed lower left hand corner: Allinson.
Date
ca. 1918 (made)
Artist/maker
Allinson, Adrian Paul (ROI, RBA), born 1890 - died 1959 (painter)
Materials and Techniques
Oil on millboard
Marks and inscriptions
"ALLINSON"
Dimensions
Height: 643 mm, Width: 523 mm
Object history note
The painting depicts Tamara Karsavina in her costume as Columbine in Mikhail Fokine's ballet Carnaval, first given by the Diaghilev Ballets Russes in 1910. The role of the heartless Columbine was one of Karsavina's most celebrated roles, described by Beaumont as 'a Dresden china figure, but she had very human failings. She was a heartless coquette who inspired admiration and then snubbed the fool who thought his affection would be returned.' The frothy, scallop-frilled costume set with a design of red cherries, was designed by Leon Bakst.
It is possible that Beaumont commissioned the portrait from Adrian Allinson around 1918, when Allinson was working on Carnaval illustrations for the Impressions of the Russian Ballet series, published by Beaumont.
The painting came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.
Descriptive line
Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in Mikhail Fokine's ballet 'Carnaval' by Adrian Allinson. Oil on millboard, ca.1918.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Ashton, Geoffrey, Catalogue of Paintings at theTheatre Museum, London, edited by James Fowler, Victoria & Albert Museum in association with The Society for Theatre Research, London, 1992, cat. 77
Theatre Museum: N8252
Exhibition History
The Diaghilev Exhibition (College of Art, Edinburgh 01/01/1954-31/12/1954)
The Diaghilev Exhibition (College of Art, Edinburgh 01/01/1954-31/12/1954)
Materials
Millboard; Oil colour
Techniques
Painting
Subjects depicted
Columbine; Karsavina, Tamara Platonova
Categories
Paintings
Collection code
T&P
