Leon Bakst

Estimate

20,000 - 30,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Léon Bakst
COSTUME DESIGN FOR 10 CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien (The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastien), Act 1
signed Bakst twice (once lower right, once center right); also inscribed with instructions for the dressmaker: top right "10 femmes chrétiennes/5 de chaque nuance" ("10 Christian women/ 5 of each shade [of color]"), upper left and right "perles" ("pearls"), "petit turban pointu" ("small pointed turban"), "voile et perles" ("voile and pearls"), centre right "l'autre nuance/partout le bleu/est remplacé par/le vert Bakst" ("the other shade/everywhere blue/is replaced by green Bakst")
pencil and watercolor heightened with gold on paper
14 by 10 1/4 in.
35.6 by 26 cm

Provenance

Private collection (acquired from the family of the artist)
Sale: Sotheby Barke Bernet Inc., New York, December 10, 1982, lot 184, illustrated
Private collection, California

Catalogue Note

Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien, a mystery play in five acts by Gabriele d'Annunzio, with music by Claude Debussy, choreography by Michel Fokine and directed by Armand Bour was first produced by Ida Rubinstein's company with Ida Rubinstein in the tile role at the Théâtre du Châtelet; Paris on 22^nd May 1911. The play was revived in four acts instead of five with the same credits at the Théâtre national de l'Opéra, Paris on 17^th June 1922. The two signatures by Bakst indicate that this design was made for the revival.

We would like to thank Alexander Schouvaloff for providing additional catalogue information.