Illustration of Petrouchka (also transliterated as Petrushka), arms outstretched on pointe in blue boots against a background of white stars on a black ground reproduced on page 9 of Impressions of the Russian Ballet Petrouchka 1919

Petrouchka returned to the repertoire of the Ballets Russes in London after the War on the opening night of the season at the Alhambra Theatre 30 April 1919 when Léonide Massine played the title role. Beaumont appears to have planned this volume in the series during that season and as he notes he ‘entrusted the illustrations to a Russian artist'.

Beaumont The Diaghilev Ballet in London A Personal Record London, Putnam 1940 p.141
‘Few of those who have read those little books would realize the work that went into them. Once the episode for illustration had been chosen, my collaborator and I had to watch the ballet night after night until the particular group or pose appeared, and during that brief moment check up on all details of the poses. In the interval, we would go behind and sketch the scenery while it was being set, and note the details of the costumes from the dancers, as they strolled on the stage before the ballet.’

‘In the case of the more important dresses I would beg the loan of them after the ballet and we would wait outside a dressing-room until the dresser, or a white arm, presented us with the costume still warm from its wearer.’