decorative silk binding

A rare music score composed by Kuzmin (who was known predominantly as a poet) with the addition of wonderful illustrations by 'World of Art' members, Sudeikin and Feofilakatov.

Feofilakatov was strongly influenced by the drawings of Aubrey Beardsley and was even given the nickname 'The Moscow Beardsley'. He was a fervent admirer of Kuzmin's work and provided the artwork for the cover of Kuzmin's novel Wings, the first Russian homoerotic novel. Kuzmin and Sudeikin were in fact lovers and lived together with Sudeikin's wife, who threw Kuzmin out when she realised they were having an affair. He did, however, become friends and collaborate with Sudeikin's second wife, Vera de Bosset who in turn, ended up marrying Stravinsky.

First edition; 4to (27.5 x 23.5 cm); text and music by Kuzmin, four phototype plates printed on strong wove paper, and four full-page illustrations, by N. Feofilaktov and S. Sudeikin, Сyrillic ownership inscription 'A. Artsikhovskiy' in pink ink to upper flyleaf; decorative coloured silk boards, silk frayed at spine and edges;

Kilgour 598.