Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in 'Le Carnaval' by Mikhail Fokine
Painting
ca. 1918 (painted)
ca. 1918 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in 'Le Carnaval' by Mikhail Fokine (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Oil on millboard |
| Brief description | Tamara Karsavina as Columbine in Mikhail Fokine's ballet 'Le Carnaval' by Adrian Allinson. Oil on millboard, ca.1918 |
| 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. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | "ALLINSON" (Signature; Lower left hand corner; Handwriting; Oil colour) |
| Credit line | Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest |
| Object history | The painting depicts Tamara Karsavina in her costume as Columbine in Mikhail Fokine's ballet Le 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. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | Carnaval |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.102-1986 |
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| Record created | July 18, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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