Nijinsky Hats
Description: Vaslav Nijinsky was a ballet dancer and choreographer cited as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. Born in Kiev to Polish parents, Nijinsky grew up in Imperial Russia but considered himself to be Polish. He was celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations.
Description: 1914 Art Deco illustration by Georges Barbier depicts the dancers Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina performing the ballet Le Spectre de la rose. The piece captures Nijinsky as the spirit of the rose draped in floral garlands, leaning over a swooning Karsavina against a dramatic backdrop of stylized curtains and foliage.