The book "At the dawn of my career with Diaghilev. Seven years in the Russian Ballet" with an inscription and autograph by Serge Lifar

The book "A l'aube de mon destin chez Diaghilew. Sept ans aux Ballets Russes" (in French). Paris: Editions Albim Michel, 1949. An uncut copy in a publisher's cover. The text is illustrated with rare photographs from the archive of Serge Lifar Small edition.

On the first page there is a donation inscription in French. Text: "Madame Huriel A. de Bout. 25.V.51." Under this donation inscription is the signature of Claude Bessie, a French ballerina and choreographer, one of Serge Lifar's favorite students.

Serge Lifar is a ballet dancer, choreographer, dance theorist, and collector. After emigrating from the USSR in 1923, he danced in Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons" until 1929, after which he became the premier. The Paris Opera. A major figure in French choreography, Lifar also lectured on the history and theory of ballet, and was the founder of the Paris University of Choreography and the University of Dance.

In between seasons, Lifar went to Italy to Turin to his teacher Enrico Cecchetti and trained at an accelerated pace. In his spare time, he read fiction and criticism — books were specially selected for him by Diaghilev. Sometimes the impresario took Lifar to Milan, Florence or Venice, where they visited art galleries and museums together. Diaghilev introduced him to the French beau monde — Paul Valery and Missy Serte, Jean Cocteau and By Tristan Bernard, Pablo Picasso and Coco Chanel, who became his friend.