Russian Harvest

Russia-born, New York-based collector Boris Stavrovski has a passion for the work of the “Diaghilev School” of artists, who were commissioned by Serge Diaghilev, legendary director of the Ballets Russes from 1909 to 1929, to create costumes and sets for his performances. While Stavrovski—whose connoisseurship is the subject of our March Obsessions column—is most impressed by the life stories of these figures, it’s hard to ignore their market value, which has grown exponentially of late. Here, we chart the highest auction prices since 2000 for five of the most celebrated figures whose work can be found in Stavrovski’s collection, and tally how many of their pieces have appeared at auction during this period. As our analysis reveals, supply and demand have skyrocketed in recent years. 

Graph by Caroline Puri, Designed by Phoebe Flynn Rich