ALEXANDRE BENOIS (1870-1960) Costume design for the character Petrushka for the ballet 'Petrushka' by Igor Stravinsky in 1947

signed and dated ‘Alexandre Benois 1947’ (lower left), inscribed and numbered ‘N5 Petrouchka’ (upper right) watercolour and ink on paper 29.5 x 23.5 cm (à vue) Provenance: Frédéric Stern Frédéric Stern was an art dealer and collector specializing in 19th-century French paintings. Raised in Alexandria, Egypt, he moved to Paris in 1944, where he connected with influential artists and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts under André Lhote, Édouard Georges Mac-Avoy, and Fernand Léger. He also trained in couture and jewelry design. The ballet Petrushka is set against the vivid atmosphere of a pre-Lenten fair (Maslenitsa) in 19th-century St. Petersburg. Stravinsky composed it as his second collaboration with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, drawing inspiration from traditional street puppets who are magically brought to life by a Magician (Charlatan). The original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with stage designs and costumes by Alexandre Benois, who assisted Stravinsky with the libretto. Premiering in Paris in 1911, Petrushka became one of Alexandre Benois'most significant works. The ballet was frequently re-staged, and between 1911 and 1957, Benois redesigned its sets and costumes for 14 different productions. In later versions, he often inscribed his designs with the names of the dancers who portrayed the principal roles. In 1947, Stravinsky revised Petrushka for a smaller orchestra, as his works for the Ballets Russes did not receive international copyright protection. Alexandre Benois also created designs for this production.