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Abbe, James Edawrs, Photographs of Ida Rubinstein, 1920s, Portfolio of period photographs of Ida Rubinstein taken by the photographer Edward James Abbe, of her wearing the famous dress by Bakst in the production of Phaedre at the national opera house in Paris, each of the smaller photograps (17.5cm x 24.5cm) with typed descriptions to the backs with Abbe's signiture in pencil, the large images (38cm x 28cm) signed in pencil to the edge of the photograph, all in a folder marked 'ABBE, IDA RUBENSTEIN in play "Phaedre" national opera House Paris' Ida Rubinstein: Dancer, Actress, and Icon of the Belle Époque - Ida Lvovna Rubinstein (1883–1960) was one of the most captivating and unconventional figures of early 20th-century performance, a Russian dancer, actress, and patron whose beauty, mystery, and theatrical vision helped shape the modern stage. Rubinstein was born into one of the Russian Empire’s richest families, to Jewish parents in Kharkov (now Kharkiv, Ukraine), and grew up in Saint Petersburg. For many years, her birthplace and even her given name were subjects of speculation, some believed “Ida” was short for Adelaida, and Rubinstein herself refused to clarify the truth, enjoying the aura of enigma. This mystery endured until years after her death, when records from the Kharkov Choral Synagogue, where her father had served on the board, revealed the facts. The registry documents the birth of Ida Lvovna on 21 September (O.S.) / 5 October (N.S.) 1883, daughter of Lev Ruvimovich Rubinstein, an honorary citizen of Kharkov, and Ernestina Isaakovna Rubinstein. She also had an older sister, Rachel, born in 1876. Despite her privileged upbringing, Rubinstein’s path to the stage was far from conventional. She began serious dance training later in life, yet her commanding presence and exotic beauty soon drew attention. In 1908 she made her first public appearance in a private production of Salomé, performing the notorious “Dance of the Seven Veils” a performance that scandalised and enthralled Parisian society. The following year, Sergei Diaghilev invited her to join his famed Ballets Russes, where she performed leading roles in Cléopâtre (1909) and Scheherazade (1910), dancing alongside Vaslav Nijinsky under the choreography of Michel Fokine and the design of Léon Bakst. Though her classical technique was limited, Rubinstein’s magnetism, intelligence, and dramatic flair made her unforgettable. By 1911 she had left Ballets Russes to form her own company, using her considerable wealth to produce and star in lavish new works. As an impresario, she commissioned leading composers such as Maurice Ravel, who created Boléro (1928) specifically for her. Her productions blurred the boundaries between dance, theatre, music, and art the essence of the modernist spirit. One of Rubinstein’s most celebrated roles was Phèdre (1923), in a dramatic adaptation for her Paris troupe. For this production, Léon Bakst designed a magnificent costume a flowing, gold-embroidered gown blending the elegance of ancient Greece with the opulence of Art Deco stagecraft. The design survives today as one of Bakst’s most beautiful theatre creations, reflecting both Rubinstein’s regal poise and her flair for self-mythologising. Rubinstein’s image was immortalised by the celebrated American photographer James Edward Abbe, renowned for his portraits of stage and screen stars of the 1920s. Abbe’s photographs of Rubinstein including portraits taken around her Phèdre period capture her dramatic profile and ethereal presence, preserving for posterity the charisma that so mesmerised audiences of her time. Ida Rubinstein’s legacy lies not only in her performances but in her broader cultural influence: she was a bridge between Russian symbolism and Parisian modernism, a performer who turned her own life into art. Her portrayal of Phèdre, the shimmering gown by Bakst, and the haunting photographs by Abbe together form a portrait of a woman who embodied the glamour, mystery, and artistic daring of her age. References: Ida Rubinstein, Encyclopaedia Britannica Ida Rubinstein, Wikipedia Jewish Women’s Archive Museum MAGMA: Costume Design for Ida Rubinstein in the Role of Phèdre National Portrait Gallery (UK): James Abbe – The Lure of the Limelight Getty Images Archive: Ida Rubinstein Photographs