Ephebe in ‘Narcisse’ 1911 - 1916

Léon Bakst made this costume design for ‘Ephebe in Narcisse’ probably in 1916 with watercolor and pencil. The first thing that jumps out is the figure’s amazing outfit, right? It's like a butterfly exploded onto the page in a whirl of yellow and black. It’s all about capturing movement, and you can almost hear the rustle of those incredible butterfly wings. The way the colors are layered is interesting; the light yellow is almost transparent. See how the black outlines create these bold graphic shapes. Look at how the yellow dress is trimmed with black. It's all about surface, texture, and the sheer physicality of the costume. It makes you want to reach out and touch it, even though it's just a drawing. The work reminds me of Erté, don't you think? Bakst throws us into a world of beauty and illusion, a space where fixed meanings just melt away.