Legat caricature, Nadezhda Alekseevna Bakerkina (1866-1940)

[rg]

this post has been deleted for the present; there are problems with the scan that was meant to accompany it.

[cubanmiamiboy]

this post has been deleted for the present; there are problems with the scan that was meant to accompany it.

[rg]

scanning dilemma now, more or less, resolved:

i know little of this Moscow-schooled dancer who seems to have been transferred to the Petersburg, and cannot say in what Maryinksy role Legat has her costumed.

a colleague doing some work on Karsavina notes that Teliakovsky's memoirs include mention that NAB was something of a troublemaker and that when M.F.Kshessinska gave Karsavina a lavender dress as a present, NAB told the younger ballerina that the gift from the older ballerina had a 'sting' in it because the color was deadly and not usually flattering to wearer.

though she's not alone among Legat's depictions of his fellow dancers to be so presented, NAB seems to be shown a potentially 'deadly' light by her caricaturist colleague.

[leonid17]

scanning dilemma now, more or less, resolved:

i know little of this Moscow-schooled dancer who seems to have been transferred to the Petersburg, and cannot say in what Maryinksy role Legat has her costumed.

a colleague doing some work on Karsavina notes that Teliakovsky's memoirs include mention that NAB was something of a troublemaker and that when M.F.Kshessinska gave Karsavina a lavender dress as a present, NAB told the younger ballerina that the gift from the older ballerina had a 'sting' in it because the color was deadly and not usually flattering to wearer.

though she's not alone among Legat's depictions of his fellow dancers to be so presented, NAB seems to be shown a potentially 'deadly' light by her caricaturist colleague.

Bakerkina was expressing what may have been a generally held view on Kschessinskaya.

Lydia Lopokhova when on a snowy day was offered a lift from the theatre by Kschessinskays, refused the lift because of Kschessinskaya's reputation. The grande dame was the mistress of a number of notable members of the Imperial Family.

The only role of note that I can remember that Bakerkina danced, was the Second Star in the Petipa Pugni ballet "The Two Stars".

Is there some significance in the jewellery and the big bow in this caricature?

[rg]

i have no insights to Bakerkina's costuming and accessories.

the diamond? earrings would appear to be 'personal' jewelry; the snake bracelet is perhaps part of her theatrical costume.

i have a few photocards of this dancers but none in this costume.

[cubanmiamiboy]

I'm always amazed on how modern Legat's caricatures look even now. They look just like those political depictions from the front cover of the "The Week" magazine...