Konstantin Somov (1869-1939)

Vladimir Gil was a journalist, writing for numerous publications, including Morskoi Sbornik, the official publication of the Russian Navy, published to this day without interruption since 1848. Gil was always passionate about the ballet, and amassed a significant collection of archives and works of art relating to the subject, the majority of which he eventually gifted to the St Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music. The present work was acquired from a friend and fellow Morskoi Sbornik journalist Aleksei Aleskeevich in Leningrad circa 1941.