NATALIA MAKAROVA (b. 1940), VLADIMIR VASILIEV (b. 1940) – Ballet Artists Two photographs. 21 x 15 cm, 22 x 13.5 cm.

Photograph of N. Makarova by Serge Lido, [1983]. Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Soviet and American ballet dancer, choreographer, and dramatic actress. In 1970, she remained in the West, not returning from a tour. She was a prima ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre (New York) and the Royal Ballet (London) and collaborated with many of the world’s leading ballet companies. Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev is a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, choreographer, director, actor, artist, poet, and teacher. He was awarded the title People’s Artist of the USSR (1973). Serge Lido (Sergei Pavlovich Lidov; 1906-1984) was a legendary ballet photographer who, over his fifty-year career, created one of the most comprehensive archives of ballet stars, including Roland Petit, Nina Vyroubova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Serge Lifar, Milorad Miskovitch, Alicia Markova, Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Maurice Béjart, Martha Graham, Maya Plisetskaya, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and others. He also created a portrait gallery of the world’s artistic and intellectual elite, including photographs of Jean Cocteau, Édith Piaf, Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso, Jean Marais, Maria Callas, Brigitte Bardot, Pierre Cardin, and others.