Collection of special issues of the theatrical periodical "Comoedia Illustré" and souvenir programs devoted to Ballets Russes and Rubinstein's Galas Russes for the seasons 1909-1921, with introductory letterpress text for each season by V. Svetloff. With splendid color and gilt illustrations of costume and set designs, as well as numerous photographic portraits of dancers and production artists.
Published by De Brunoff, Maurice, & Jacques de Brunoff, editors. M. de Brunoff, Paris, 1922.
Profusely illustrated with full color covers, mounted and full-page plates, and photographs, AMAZING ballet illustrations from the period. 187 leaves, bound and stored in a case. An outstanding visual record of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and Ida Rubinstein's Galas Russes in their most influential years, lavishly illustrated with the works of Bakst, Gontcharova, Larionov, Picasso, Matisse, Massine, Derain, and others.
Bakst is the most frequently represented artist in the group; the illustration inlaid to the upper cover is by Natalia Gontcharova. Original cloth, with inlaid illustrated upper cover from "The Firebird" by Natalia Gontcharova. Covers and spine rubbed and soiled, internally fine, but lacking cover for Ballets Russes program from May 1921 featuring Picasso illustration on recto and verso.
Signed on first blank page by one of the editors (Jacques de Brunoff) and American dancer, teacher and dance writer Lillian Moore (1911-1967) who owned it. Size is 10.5 x 13.3 inches, 1.25 inches thick, hardcovers, damage on spine, which is mostly missing, with some lose pages but complete, otherwise in very good condition. Comes in a luxury cardboard case to protect it.
See some sample photos.
