“AN INDISPENSABLE SOURCE FOR THE BEST IN GRAPHIC, STAGE, AND COSTUME DESIGN OF THE PERIOD”: 1922 DELUXE COLLECTION OF THE BEST OF PUBLISHER MAURICE DE BRUNOFF’S PROGRAMS AND ARTICLES FOR THE BALLETS RUSSES

DE BRUNOFF, Maurice, and DE BRUNOFF, Jacques, editors. Collection des plus beaux numéros de Com?dia Illustré et des Programmes consacrés aux Ballets & Galas Russes depuis le début a paris 1909-1921. Paris: M. de Brunoff, [1922]. Small folio, period-style full green morocco, gilt decorated spine and boards, original patterned endpapers, original color pictorial cover illustration laid down internally, uncut. $13,500.

First edition of this homage to the Ballets Russes by French publisher de Brunoff, consisting of covers and pages from the French magazine Comoedia Illustré and from Ballets Russes programs, and featuring 42 full-page color plates, 12 two-page color spreads, and hundreds of black-and-white photographs and illustrations depicting sets, costumes, dancers, composers and artists and covering the years 1909 through 1921. Beautifully bound preserving the original pictorial cover illustration and patterned endpapers.

"The programmes for the Diaghilev Ballet seasons in Paris and London were published by Maurice de Brunoff. He was the French editor of Com?dia Illustré, probably the greatest of all theatrical magazines. De Brunoff devoted many pages to the early Diaghilev seasons in his magazine. Eventually he began to publish the equally lavish souvenir programmes which contained articles, photographs and reproductions of the designs for the new ballets, all reproduced to the highest quality… They are now highly prized collector's items" (Victoria & Albert Museum Theatre Collections). Includes illustrations and designs by Bakst, Picasso, and Derain, and photographs of Nijinsky, Pavlova, Rubinstein, Karsavina, and Fokine. "This deluxe volume is an indispensable source for the best in graphic, stage, and costume design of the period; early photographs of performers attired for their roles; and commentaries on the ballet by Maurice Ravel, Jean Cocteau, Guillaume Apollinaire, M.D. Calvocoressi, and Michel Georges-Michel. Among the elegant drawings and pastels are those by Georges Lepape, Jean Dulac, Georges Tribout, Andre Marty, Jean Cocteau, and Valentine Gross… The drawings and pastels by Valine Gross are especially interesting because the document, in a charming style, Nijinsky's dance interpretations during actual performances before photographs in the theatre became commonplace" (Roadcap, The Book of Dance in the 20th Century, 28). No articles appear for the years 1916 or 1918, when performances were halted during WWI. An introductory note by dance critic Valérien Svetlov appears before each season's articles. Text in French. Front cover illustration by painter and ballet designer Natalia Gontcharova preserved on the front free endpaper.

Just a few programs with a hint of marginal dampstaining to bottom edge. Color plates, spreads, photographs and illustrations bright and beautiful.