Léon Bakst
Costume for a brigand in Daphnis and Chloë 1912

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Evil brigands, the robbers who inhabit the forests in ancient Greek mythology, abduct the beautiful Chloë from the arms of her lover, Daphnis. Unusually, the ballet ends happily when the lovers are reunited. Bakst took many of the motifs for the brigand costumes from ancient Greek painted decoration. His choice of bold, contrasting geometric patterns on bright colours appears remarkably modern.