Drawings of dances of Vaslav Nijinsky 1913

George Barbier made this drawing of Vaslav Nijinsky’s dances at an unknown date, probably with ink and watercolour. Look at the almost cartoonish quality of the figures. It’s the kind of drawing you see in fashion magazines, where the idea is more important than the accuracy. But that’s kinda cool, right? The texture is flat and graphic, almost like a poster. Barbier isn’t trying to trick us into thinking this is real life. The colours are bold, but they’re also kind of muted, like they’ve faded over time. The peacock feather shawl is a great detail. The bodies are elongated and posed. Everything is about surface and performance, like Nijinsky himself. It’s all a big show, and we’re all in on the joke. I’m reminded of Erté, another artist who made these kinds of fashiony illustrations. But Barbier has a bit more edge, a bit more humor. He knows he’s making something beautiful and silly at the same time.