George Kirsta (c.1900 – 1955): An original vintage costume design for the Corps de Ballet (group) in the production “Prelude”, dated 1943. The design is in ink, watercolour, and pencil on paper, signed to bottom right corner. Inscribed in pencil with various instructions relating to manufacture and with overlayed colour pallet in watercolour on paper

Dimensions 38 x 27.5cm

The Artist

George Kirsta (c.1900 – 1955) was a Ukrainian artist, who specialised in costume and set designer for ballet.

Having fled the Russian Revolution in 1917, Kirsta worked initially in Berlin and then Vienna. By 1938 he had moved to London to work on ballet productions in the United Kingdom. Throughout his career he worked with some of the most important ballet dancers of the period including Bronislava Nijinska and Dame Alicia Markova. Kirsta was associated with the Original Ballet Russe (the successor to Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes) and tried to revive it in 1951, but due to lack of financial success it closed in the early 1952. Costume and designs by George Kirsta and can be found in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

For an example see: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O50615/costume-design-kirsta-george/

The Production

Based on the inscription it is believed the design relates to a ballet based upon Franz Liszt’s symphonic poem ‘Les preludes’.

This George Kirsta Corps de Ballet design is possibly for a production performed by the Anglo-Polish Ballet Company.

Further works by this artist are included in our online store. Please see GEORGE KIRSTA (c.1900 – 1955): An original vintage costume design for the Prima Ballerina in the production “Prelude”, dated 1943

Dimensions: 38 x 27.5cm

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Condition Report: In overall good condition, handling creases, some rusting to pin otherwise good.