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PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED PRIVATE COLLECTION
STAGE DESIGNS BY ALEXANDRE BENOIS
After the great success of Petrushka in 1911, Benois' reputation in Western Europe was assured. In 1913, he discussed with Nijinsky the possibility of basing a ballet on the music of J.S. Bach. However, Benois' plan did not come to fruition until 1928, when he conceived and designed Les Noces de Psyché et de l'Amour, an elaborate mythological court ballet in the style of Louis XIV Versailles, for the dancer Ida Rubinstein. It premièred at the Paris Opéra and was staged at Covent Garden in 1931.
Earlier, the outbreak of the Russian Revolution found Benois in St. Petersburg. Whereas most of his old Ballets Russes collaborators remained in the West, Benois, motivated by his desire to protect Russia's artistic treasures, remained in the Soviet Union and accepted the post of curator of paintings at the Hermitage. He remained active in the theatre, designing (in 1921) a production of Tchaikovsky's opera The Queen of Spades for the Maryinsky. This was a labor of love for Benois, since Tchaikovsky was his favorite composer and he had attended the world premiere of the opera in 1890. Executed with his characteristic attention to historical detail, Benois' designs for The Queen of Spades no doubt seemed quite conservative after the experimental productions of the early Soviet years. However, the production was very successful with the public and remained in the repertoire until 1935, long after Benois had emigrated to France.
Alexandre Benois (1870-1960)
Two costume designs from Les Noces de Psyché: Psyché and Neptune
Details
Alexandre Benois (1870-1960)
Two costume designs from Les Noces de Psyché: Psyché and Neptune
the first signed 'Alexandre Benois' (lower left), inscribed and dated 'Les Noces de/Psyché 1928' (upper left), and further inscribed 'Psyché/(Mme Rubinstein)' (upper right); the second signed and dated 'Alexandre Benois/1928-1951' (lower right), inscribed and dated 'Les Noces de/Psyché/1928' (upper left), and further inscribed 'Neptune' (upper right)
pencil, ink, and watercolor, heightened with white, gold and silver, on paper
the first 8¾ x 6¼ in. (22.2 x 15.9 cm.); the second 9 x 5 7/8 in. (22.9 x 14.9 cm.) (2)
Two costume designs from Les Noces de Psyché: Psyché and Neptune
the first signed 'Alexandre Benois' (lower left), inscribed and dated 'Les Noces de/Psyché 1928' (upper left), and further inscribed 'Psyché/(Mme Rubinstein)' (upper right); the second signed and dated 'Alexandre Benois/1928-1951' (lower right), inscribed and dated 'Les Noces de/Psyché/1928' (upper left), and further inscribed 'Neptune' (upper right)
pencil, ink, and watercolor, heightened with white, gold and silver, on paper
the first 8¾ x 6¼ in. (22.2 x 15.9 cm.); the second 9 x 5 7/8 in. (22.9 x 14.9 cm.) (2)
Provenance
The family of the artist.
Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, London, 17 July 1997, lot 225 (part).
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.
Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, London, 17 July 1997, lot 225 (part).
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.
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