Live Auction 5438The Sunday Sale
JEAN COCTEAU (FRENCH, 1889-1963)
Lot 181

JEAN COCTEAU (FRENCH, 1889-1963)

Portrait de Nijinski dans le Spectre de la Rose

Closed30 November 2008

Price Realised

GBP 21,250

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JEAN COCTEAU (FRENCH, 1889-1963)
Portrait de Nijinski dans le Spectre de la Rose
signed, indistinctly inscribed and dated 'Waslaw Nijinsky/janvier 1912/-Waslaw...' (lower left edge) by Vaslav Nijinsky
signed, inscribed and dated 'A madame la marquise de Ripon/un dessinateur accidentel/respecteus et charmé/Jean Cocteau/1er Jnvier [sic] 1912/JC' (upper left and lower right edge) by Jean Cocteau
pencil, pen, brush and ink on paper
18½ x 14½in. (46.8 x 36.8cm.)
;Together with two other drawings by an anonymous hand, 'Bakst dansant dans le Spectre de la Rose' and 'Diaghilev dansant dans le Spectre de la Rose'
three in the lot (3)

A gift from the artist to Constance Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon, later Lady de Grey (1859-1917) and thence by descent to her daughter, Lady Juliet Duff.
Michael Renshaw, Esq.

Specialist note

The present lot was a gift from the artist to Constance Gladwys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon and later Lady de Grey (1859-1917). Lady de Grey was present at the debut of Diaghilev's Ballet Russes in Paris, 1907 and was instrumental in the company coming to London for the historic season of 1911. It is said that Lady de Grey was present every time Nijinsky danced.
The authenticity of 'Portrait de Nijinski dans le Spectre de la Rose' has kindly been confirmed by Mrs. Annie Guèdras.