Shepherd in ‘Daphnis et Chloe’ 1912 - 1916

Léon Bakst made this drawing, ‘Shepherd in ‘Daphnis et Chloe’’, with ink and watercolor. It’s not a painting, but you can see Bakst was thinking like a painter, experimenting with bold color combinations and daring designs! I can imagine him trying to catch the freedom of a dancer in a few strokes. The way the figure seems to leap off the ground with arms raised overhead, Bakst must have been chasing that feeling of movement. He uses these amazing patterns, spots and other motifs, to activate the surface and to bring a theatrical flair. You can see how the shapes of the costumes, along with the figure’s pose, together create a sense of flowing rhythm. Bakst’s work reminds us that artists are always looking, borrowing, and transforming ideas. What he did here with the figure, the color, the pattern – it’s an offering to us, and, in turn, to the next generation.