Vaslav Nijinsky in Scheherazade
1913
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1913
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a dancer mid-leap, arms arched, one leg bent behind him. He wears sheer harem pants and a jeweled belt, his skin dusted with gold. This photo was taken in 1913 for the ballet *Scheherazade*, where Nijinsky played a slave who betrays the shah. The role made him famous overnight. Bert, the photographer, worked for the French government, so this image was meant to look official—almost like a painting. Look up *impasto* next to see how painters built up thick paint for the same kind of drama.
