Serge Férat, born Sergej Jastrebzov, was a Russian artist whose fate intertwined with the Parisian avant-garde. Born in Moscow to an aristocratic family, he abandoned law for art and moved to Paris in 1901. At his cousin Elena d’Oettingen’s salon, he met Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso, who became friends and inspirations. In 1905, he debuted at the Salon des Indépendants as Roudnev, painting still lifes in the Quattrocento style. Influenced by Picasso, he created vibrant, decorative cubist works. In 1913–14, he collaborated with Apollinaire on the magazine “Soirées de Paris”, designing its visuals, and in 1917, he crafted sets for Apollinaire’s surrealist play “Les Mamelles de Tirésias”. During the war, he cared for the wounded Apollinaire,deepening their bond. After 1917, having lost his fortune, he painted somber circus scenes, retaining a cubist style with ornamental touches. A friend of Chagall, Modigliani, and Cocteau, he collected Rousseau and Picasso. He died in Paris, leaving a legacy at MoMA. Férat was a bright thread connecting the avant-garde.