Costume design for ‘La Belle au bois dormant’; Dame d’honneur avec le page portant le train
Léon Bakst’s sketch for the 1921 ballet 'The Sleeping Beauty' looks less like a finished painting and more like a frantic, brilliant fashion designer’s notebook. You can see the chaotic energy in the handwritten French notes scribbled all over the page, specifying 'orange velvet,' 'silver muslin,' and 'ermine' for the towering Dame d'honneur. The massive, sweeping train of her dress, held by a page in a turban, dominates the composition in bold strokes of orange and black, showcasing the decorative flair of the Art Nouveau era. Despite these gorgeous, opulent designs that defined the Ballets Russes aesthetic, this specific 1921 production was actually a massive financial flop for the company!
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