Set in the Caucuses and inspired by Lermontov's poem, Thamar told of a cruel Queen of Georgia who lures travellers to their death. She waivs a 'rose-red' scarf from her turret window to lure passers by who she seduces and then pushes down to the raging gorge below. This illustration shows five Lezsghins with 'gleaming daggers' who take part in the dancing while the Queen seduces and murders the stranger.

The Ballet Thamar was created for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes with choreography by Mikhail Fokine, music by Mily Balakirev and designs by Léon Bakst and first performed by the Ballets Russes on 20 May 1912 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris. It was first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 12 June 1912 at the Royal Opera House. It was performed at the end of the post War London Coliseum on 13 March 1919 when Lubov Tchernicheva took the title role as the Queen of Georgia and Leonide Massine was the stranger Prince. Tamara Karsavina returned to the title role she had created at the Alhambra Theatre in July 1919.


The illustration was drawn for Impressions of the Russian Ballet Thamar written by Cyril W Beaumont and decorated by Ethelbert White where it appears at the top of page 10.