Russki Balet v Karikatura by Legat, Nicolai and Sergei

St. Petersburg St. Petersburg: 1902-1905. Large 4to, modern clamshell box with gilt-lettered leather spine label. Remarkable complete collection of 95 color lithograph plates of dancers, choreographers, musicians and ballet-masters of the Imperial Russian Ballet, which is now known as the Mariinsky or Kirov Ballet. Minor toning to plates, which are bright and attractive. Brief pencilled descriptions on versos of plates by a previous owner. A double portrait of the Legat brothers serves as a frontispiece or title page. Nicolai and Sergei were dancers, choreographers and teachers and brillian caricaturists.Nicolai taught Fokine and Nijinsky as director of the Imperial Ballet School, and later in London, Danilova, Dolin and Lifar. Sergei, who also taught Nijinsky , killed himself in 1905. Their subjects includ Pavlova, Karsavina, Fokine, Kchecinskaya, Trefilova and Petipa. Many collaborated with the Ballets Russes. Niles and Leslie, page 308:"... unsurpassed for their penetrating and ironic comment on each victim's costume, coiffure, features, physique and individual characteristics of technique." Included from another work is a portrait of ballet critic Valerian Svetlov examining a ballerina under a microscope. Very rare complete: a complete set of 95 plates is in the Library of Congress, the British Museum copy has 94 plates and the NYPL Performing Arts Dance Collection has 86 plates. Illustrations of several of the plates can be seen on my website by clicking on Catalogue 31 (item 50). Fine. Illus. by Nicolai and Sergei Legat. Large 4to.