The Ballets Russes

Final preparatory drawing for the poster of the ballet "The Legend of Joseph" (La légende de Joseph).

Already famous for his posters for La Revue Blanche, Pierre Bonnard was approached in 1914 by Sergei Diaghilev's prestigious Ballets Russes company. The objective was to design the promotional poster for their new creation, The Legend of Joseph, presented at the Paris Opéra (Palais Garnier) on May 14, 1914.

This ballet brought together an exceptional avant-garde cast: Richard Strauss for the music, Michel Fokine for the choreography, Léon Bakst for the costumes, and José-Maria Sert for the set designs. It was the muse Misia Sert who suggested bringing Bonnard into the project. The work depicts a full-frontal view of the very young dancer Léonide Massine (then 19 years old) in the title role, dressed in a short goatskin tunic. Bonnard masterfully captures the dancer's anatomical power and Byzantine grace, a composition immediately praised at the time by critic Félix Fénéon.

Pastel and charcoal on paper mounted on canvas.

Signature stamp lower right.

Certificate of authenticity from Guy-Patrice Dauberville and Michel Dauberville.

Certificate of authenticity from Antoine Terrasse.

Exhibitions:

• “Pierre Bonnard, Radiant Color”, Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Canada, October 6 – January 15, 2017.

• “Pierre Bonnard”, Museum of Fine Arts, Sompo, Japan, Seiji Togo, Japan, 2004, April 29–June 30, no. 70, p. 161.

• “Pierre Bonnard”, Musée de L’Annonciade, Saint-Tropez, 1998, July 4–October 5, p. 103.

• “The Great Masters and the Dance”, Casino de Vichy, Palais Saint-Jean, Lyon and Foyer de l’Opéra, Paris, 1988, July 6 – September 5, p. 31.

Literature:

• “Pierre Bonnard, Radiant Color”, Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Canada, Artemesia Group, Quebec, 2016, No. 11.10, p. 97.

• “Bonnard inédits”, Editions du Cercle d’Art, 2006, p. 74, no. 143.

In National Collections:

• Musée d’Orsay

• Poster sketch for “The Legend of Joseph”, 1914, 20 × 31.5 cm, pastel on paper, BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France).

• Four-color lithograph after the poster, published by “Succès”, 1914, 160 x 120 cm.

Share this work