André Dunoyer de Segonzac 1884-1974

Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], no;s (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (viii), (xi), (xii) illustrated

(i)The Chief Eunuch; titled L’Eunuch on an old lable on the backing; Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated on frontispiece

(ii)Three Odalisques; inscribed Les Danseuses du Harem on the backing, Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated ; Exhibited: Paris, Galerie Charpentier, Danse et Divertissments

(iii)The Sultan and his Favorites; dedicated Pur Madame Salz, avec les voeux les plus amicaus d’André Dunoyer de Segonzac. Ce dessin d’apres Sheherazade(Ballets Russes) Opera 1910, on the artist’s visiting card on the backing; Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated

(iv)The Fruit-bearers; Exhibited: Hempstead, The Emily Lowe Gallery, Hofstra University, Diaghilev/Cunningham, April-May, 1974

(v)The Sultana; Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated

(vi)Three Odalisques

(vii)The Sultana and the favorite slave

(viii)The Sultana and the favorite slave; titled L’Esclave Noire on an old lable on the backing; Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated

(ix) The Sultana and the favorite slave; dedicated Pour Marina Salz affectueux souvenir d’Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac, on the backing

(x) Three Odalisques

(xi) The Return of the Sultan; Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated

(xii) The Death of the Sultana, inscribed Mort de Sheherazade; also inscribed Ida Rubinstein, on the backing, Vingt-Quatre Dessins sur Scheherazade (Ballet Russe) par Dunoyer de Segonzac, Paris [1910], illustrated

Scheherazade, with choreography by Michel Fokine, music by Rimsky-Korsakov and décor and costumes by Leon Bakst, was first produced by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Theatre Nationale de L’Opera on June 4, 1910 with Vaslav Nijinsky (Favorite Slave); Ida Rubinstein (Zobeide) Enrico Cecchetti (Chief Eunuch) in the starring roles. The performances of Nijnsky and Rubinstein elicited the most excitement:
 “This moment of Nijinsky’s appearance onstage, framed by the door of the gilded cage, cause a sensation. The whiteness of his gleaming teeth was accentuated by his strange blueish-gray makeup as his bare torso twisted in the fervor and excitement of his newfound freedom, like a cobra about to strike”(1)

Later, the Sultan returns unexpectedly and mad with rage, he orders his guards to mow down the women and slaves. The ballet ends with Rubinstein's most dramatic moment:
“Only the beautiful Queen Zobeide is alive among the corpses. The Sultan shudders, vacillating, but his brother points to the Queen’s Negro lover, lying dead. With averted eyes, the Sultan gives a gesture of command to one of the soldiers. Zobeide forestalls him.She seizes a dagger and stabs herself, and dies at his feet” (2)

At the time of the premier of Scheherazade, de Segonzac was already an accomplished illustrator, and his small booklet based on his drawings of the ballet served to publicize his talents to a wider audience. A copy of the limited edition publication will be available for viewing during the exhibition.

(1 & 2) Irina Nijinska and Jean Rawlinson, Bronislava Nijinska: Early Memoirs, New York, 1981, pp. 296-7