Léon Bakst
Costume for a lady-in-waiting in The Sleeping Princess 1921

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

This costume is made of fine silks - lustrous satin, sheer chiffon and plush velvet - and is finished with a finely pleated frill on the bodice, thin blue ribbon, marabou feathers and hand-painting. This combination of luxurious fabrics and judicious detailing is evident in all of the 300 costumes which Bakst designed for The Sleeping Princess. The effect was overwhelmingly sumptuous.