Costume Design For A Syrian Dancer In Cleopatra
1909
Léon Bakst captures the electric energy of the Ballets Russes in this vibrant costume sketch for the 1909 production of *Cléopâtre*. The dancer is depicted mid-performance, arms thrown wide to display massive, flowing wings of deep purple fabric dotted with gold. Her outfit is a feast of exoticism—peacock-feather patterns on her skirt, a jeweled bra, and a blue turban—perfectly capturing the 'oriental' craze that swept through Parisian fashion. Bakst, a true rockstar of stage design, dedicated this specific sketch to a friend in Paris, marking the moment his bold aesthetic forever changed theater.
- Technique
- Watercolor and gouache
- Material
- Paper
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