Dance costume designed by Leon Bakst for a production of Papillon, ca.1909, repurposed by constructivist artists in Kyiv (Kiev) 'school of Alexandra Exter' for performances by Bronislava Nijinska, 1919

Dance costume designed by Leon Bakst for Nijinsky in a production of Papillon, ca.1909 and repurposed by constructivist artists in Kyiv (Kiev) 'school of Exter' for performances by Bronislava Nijinska, 1919.

S.1:1-2016
Green and black silk-satin and cotton jacket with extensive surface decoration, including appliquéd yellow silk triangles, hand- painted black geometric shapes and green sequins on the shoulders. The skirt of the jacket, which is open front and back, is made of overlapping layers to give the effect of a moth's body. There are three emerald-green glass ‘jewels’ on each hip and a further one on the front of the black belt. The wide sleeves have attached tight cuffs, fastened with two buttons which would have held them down while the dancer moved. Each cuff is decorated with twelve small emerald-green glass ‘jewels’. The yellow sleeves had been painted black, leaving patches of yellow where Nijinska had the costume reworked for her recitals.

S.1:2-2016
Green silk-satin headdress with extensive surface decoration with green sequins, and long metal piece worn above the left eye. On the right side there is a small emerald-green glass ‘jewel’, the one on the left appears to be missing. The cap was later appliquéd with a multi-coloured geometric pattern in silk-satin.

S.1:3-2016
Pair of knitted green silk jersey tights with painted black panels front and back with two black stripes round the thighs. The stripes were added when the costume was repurposed.

S.1:4-2016
Straight grey-green silk skirt with tie to gather it at the waist. The skirt has yellow, orange, blue, green and pink motifs in abstract constructivist style appliquéd centre front with less elaborate decoration centre back. The skirt was added to the costume for Nijinska.

Purchased with assistance from Mastercard and the Linbury Trust

Dance costume was originally designed by Léon Bakst for Vaslav Nijinsky, apparently when he danced as a moth in Papillon, a ballet by Nicholas Legat (1869-1937), performed in St. Petersburg in 1909. It was later altered by artists in Exter’s studio to be worn by Bronislava Nijinska for the ballet in her concert programme in Kyiv (Kiev) in 1919. Alexandra Exter and Vadim Meller created unrealised costume designs for Nijinska’s solos; Etudes, Mephisto Valse, Nocturne, Prelude and Fear. Without funds to make new costumes, Nijinsky’s Art Nouveau costume was reworked to fit the Russian avant garde style of Nijinska's concert programme. Nijinska wore the costume again for her cabaret programme in Vienna in 1921 when the performance photos were taken. It is extremely rare to find two such distinctive periods of design represented in one costume, particularly one worn by two such significant performers.

S.1:1 to 4-2016