Drawing

Nijinsky was the third dancer in Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes to perform the role of Harlequin in Mikhail Fokine's ballet Le Carnaval, a production included in the Ballets Russes autumn season at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, when it is likely because of the date of the bill this was drawn. Nijinsky's costume had become white, apple-green and vermilion lozenged tights, white shirt with black bow and black mask painted on his face. Cyril Beaumont described Nijinsky in this role as 'a lively Mercury and as maliciously mischievous as Tyl. Think of him one moment poised in an attitude of mockery, the next bounding and rebounding in the air with the ease of a bouncing ball or twirling round with the facility and precision of a spun wheel. Nijinsky was drawn by many artists in this role including George Barbier, Antoine Bourdelle, Ludwig Kainer, Ernst Oppler, 'Tigre' and Valentine Gross,