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Nijinsky as Petrushka no. 2
Nijinsky as Petrushka no. 2
Nijinsky as Petrushka no. 2

Nijinsky as Petrushka no. 2

Artist (London, England, 1931 - 2018)
Date1982
Mediumcharcoal on paper
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
Dimensions77.5 x 74cm
AcquisitionPresented in 2009 by the Contemporary Art Society (bequest of M M Lapsley).
Copyright© Dennis Creffield
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG017130
About MeCreffield studied with David Bomberg at the Borough Polytechnic, London from 1948-1951 and from 1957-61 at the Slade School of Fine Art, London where he won the Tonks Prize for Life Drawing.

This lively study depicts the famous Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky in the title role of Igor Stravinsky's Petrushka (1911) which had been commissioned by the impresario Sergei Diaghilev and performed by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (Russian Ballets).

Petrushka is a story about a puppet that comes to life under a magic spell. He begins to develop human emotions and expresses his love for the beautiful ballerina but she rejects him and hastily departs. Petrushka with a broken heart collapses in a melancholic reverie. In this ballet, Nijinsky's impersonation of a lovelorn puppet was widely hailed.

This drawing is based on one of the many photographs taken of the dancer in his most famous role. The dancing figure is depicted in exuberant motion: the concentric sweep of the lifted arms and shoulders by using a series of curves lines. Nijinsky, who died in 1950, claimed that "Dancing is the poetry of motion".



More About Me
Nijinsky, the Russian ballet star, starred in this role of the puppet who comes to life and falls in love, but is rejected and then killed by a rival. Spoilers!