New-York tribune., 1922-12-27
Young Boswell
InterOieWS
Leon Bakst

BECAUSE hs did ne ssts and costumes
for the RHssidn Ballet.
he hds jHst pat on his fourth czhibi-
tion W America,
this is he first pisit 10 America.
hs trde The fret 70 use daring color,
his art is aiirays progrcssing. 20 that
Ne keeps one stcp ahsad Of his i'ni-
fafors.
After an embarrassing attempt 20 az.
noHHee hiniser IN French, through ~
house telephone. Young Boswell iCns told
70 "bc sHrs ond come night up" bv aH
Ir7sh maid. "You don't have 20 put on
no oirs toith me-" che soid, ~ she opened
the door. Il been ioorkiH' IN these
Bos-Ars apartments for ten years, and !
amt had 70 speak Frcaeh pet"
LEON BAkST. IN he dressing oowr
aud pajamas, uas sketchirg a foun IA
charcoal irifh hm bark 70 ne large
studio ioindow. NJ is small man, igiih
reddish hair brushed crossuisc. and
erapin0 mnstache. Behind his eye.
Glasses active bropH tgcs suogesiod
sop, sihine Of ne vivid, eolorfui ima0ina.
iioH Wkich made his work seem 90 ddy-
ing 'ohsr fret disclosed 70 tho AHeri-
car public.
LEON BAKsT-i am working hard
this morning, but / shall rest n minute
and talk 10 you a little while on the ar
Of costume Won't You at down and
have n eigarettel No, thank you. will
not smoke. I have a cold this morning
There has been 80 much chatter about
my work that ! am going 20 write on
article explaining my technique. | shall
explain first my own way Of seeing
costume and decoration. Perhaps
should explain why my scale Of eoloi
and my principles OF painting are now
accepted By the world Of art end by The
Paris dressmakers. too.
7 consider that living artist, who
feels tho changing quality OF his work
should evolve with those changes. an
always changing. never do the same
sketch twice. Perhaps a variation on
an old theme, sometimes, but never q
copy. So that the imitators, who hRv,
adopted my principles, have time OF
IL keeping up with me. As soon rs they
have found out my secret I am doins
something else. When they have sue.
eecded In making a perfect imitation o!
BAKST they discover BAKST has gone
ahead OF them.
Young Boswell-You do not mind
their copying you1
LEON BAKST No. for all these young
artists show great interest in my work
which Is very gratifying 20 me. | am
very fond OF artistic youth, and IN
Paris they are my best friends In the
art world ! believe In this contact OF
older and younger painters, 10 long ~
the aspirants are not swallowed up In
the atmosphere OF their fellow painters
Young Boswoll-Have you done any
new ballets7
LEON BAKST--I have just finished
ballet for the Paris Opern, IN which
I am author Of the subject, tho cos
tunes and tho sets. lt Is in the late
Louis Philippe period. The music Il
adapted from Chopin, and have taken
great care 10 select the less known
waltzes and nooturnes. Tho orchestra
tion was done by Auber and Wuillermoz
| did another ballet FOR tho Paris Opera
an Assyrian ballet. The music Is Vim.
cent DIndy's "Istar." Ida Rubenstcir
is going 70 dance the ballet, In which
she Will change her costumes on the
stage, visible 20 the audience. / will
say that tho costumes arc sumptuou'
and ne hdJ closed his sVes IN a sig
sysils) not without surprises.
Young Boswell-Are you going 10 dc
any ballets over hero7
LEON BAKST-I want 10 eollaboratc
with a young American musician, Cole
Porter, whom consider the great hope
OF American music An artist must
struggle 70 say things that have not
been said before. he must struggle
against banality and adverse opinion. II
he Is a truly sincere innovator. Ny own
career Is an example Of the obstacles
that a creative artist must overcome "a
make the public accept and appreciate
his work.
Before Young Bosweu kfi no sGt
dorn ond signed a photograph, sou
yer{r de BAKCT"