Lady in ‘Papillons’ 1912 - 1916

This costume design by Léon Bakst, created around 1916, probably uses pencil and gouache. You can see the layered frills, the ribbons and net veils, all suggesting a particular kind of fluttery femininity. I bet he had the feeling of butterflies in mind, imagining the performer dancing. It’s so great when artists design for theater, because there’s this built-in sense of freedom. Like, let’s make a world here. Bakst’s use of line is so beautiful, really energized and expressive. I can imagine him experimenting with ways to capture the fleeting essence of a butterfly. I like the flat blocks of color, especially the blue for the skirt. Painters are always looking at other painters’ work, pulling ideas across time. Like, how can I use that? How can I make that my own? It’s a conversation. And a painting is never really finished, right? It’s always open to new interpretations, to different ways of seeing.