Upcoming digital collection!

Introducing our newest digital collection: L'art Decoratif de Leon Bakst.

"Léon Bakst (1866-1924) was a Russian portraitist and designer who spent much of his career in Paris. This book reflects his extraordinary collaborative work with Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes as well as the dancers Ida Rubinstein and Vaslav Nijinsky. The costumes and set designs in the book demonstrate his modern yet exotic aesthetic as well as a consistently brilliant and detailed use of color. " (Description by Patricia Sasser of University of South Carolina University Libraries' Digital Collections.)

This digital collection includes the entire publication, which consists of an extensive introduction, ballet synopses, and beautifully illustrated plates. Included here is the famous dancer Vaslav Najinsky in Afternoon of a Faun (Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune). Interestingly, an internet search returned what appears to be Najinsky in the actual costume based off the plate we've included here.

For a truly multimedia experience, USC patrons can listen to the Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun (Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune)on Naxos Music Library here.

We'll update you once again when this collection is published online, so stay tuned!