Medieval Prince 

Léon Bakst made this watercolor and ink drawing of a Medieval Prince. The Prince is an archetype that can be found across many cultures in Europe and the Middle East. Bakst, a Russian artist, designed costumes for the Ballets Russes in Paris, and that institution revived and updated many of the common tropes of European culture. Bakst’s image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. Note the Prince’s red robe, gold embellishments, jeweled belt, and sword. These cultural references were part of an emerging sense of Russian identity. Russia at this time was tied to Western Europe by the institution of the Tsarist court and also tied to the East through its geographical position and the Orthodox Church. The costume aesthetic drew heavily from the iconography of the Byzantine Empire. Historians look to primary sources to understand the meaning of art as something that is contingent on social and institutional context. In this case, we would look at the history of ballet in Russia and France, the history of costume design, and the cultural and political symbolism of dress.