Vaslav Nijinsky in Le Spectre de la Rose

Vaslav Nijinsky was one of only two dancers in the original cast of Michel Fokine's Le Spectre de la Rose. Set to music by Carl Maria von Weber and with sets and costumes by Léon Bakst, the ballet was an intimate concentration on two of the most admired dancers of the twentieth century; Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina. The ballet premiered in Monte Carlo in 1911 and was an instant success. Many artists created illustrations and posters dedicated to Nijinsky's performance in the ballet, such as this sumptuous image by Georges Lepape. Working closely for years with Paris' legendary haute couture designer Paul Poiret, Georges Lepape became one of the world's most important fashion illustrators. He had produced illustrations for various major fashion houses and magazines, but was also known for his work with the Ballets Russes, producing costume and set designs, as well as theatre programmes.