Petrushka

Pencil sketch made by Valentine Gross of Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina in Scene II in Petrushka, Diaghilev Ballets Russes, made during rehearsal or performance, ca. 1911. The scene shown is in 'Petrushka's cell' where the Old Showman has pushed the Ballerina in to the excitement of Petrushka who dances with great excitement at her arrival.

Petrushka (also transliterated Petrouchka) was first performed by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris at Théâtre du Châtelet on 13 June 1911. It was choregraphed by Mikhail Fokine to music by Igor Stravinsky with designs by Alexandre Benois.

This sketch is part of the Valentine Gross Archive (THM/165), held by the V&A which contains research material and artwork, including sketches, studies, drawings, pastels and illustrations.

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Valentine Gross, a.k.a. Valentine Hugo, was a French art student in Paris in the 1910s. She became a ballet enthusiast, illustrator, researcher and painter. Valentine Gross witnessed annual seasons of Diaghlev Ballets Russes in Paris and made preminary sketches during performances and rehearsals between 1909 and 1914. She later worked them up into pencil or coloured drawings of various degrees of finish including illustrations and paintings.

Some of the sketches feature in the book Nijinsky on Stage by Richard Buckle, published in London by Studio Vista in 1971. This sketch represents Karsavina and Petrushka in his cell in Scene II and features in the book on page 79.