Costume design for the ballet Skating Rink

Costume design for the ballet Skating Rink by Fernand Léger is a vibrant drawing created in 1922 using a combination of watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper. This specific work is classified as a preliminary study, providing a valuable glimpse into the French artist’s complex engagement with theatrical production and the aesthetics of Cubism and Purism during the interwar period. Léger was commissioned by the Ballets Suédois (Swedish Ballets) to develop the costumes and sets for the production of Skating Rink, which premiered in Paris that year.

The drawing depicts a figure characterized by the bold, tubular, and geometric shapes that defined Léger’s iconography in the 1920s. Heavy pencil lines establish the structural foundation of the figure, giving it a mechanized rigidity, while the application of vivid, opaque watercolor provides stark, block-like areas of color. This approach transforms the dancer into a moving, abstract sculpture, reflecting the artist’s interest in the dynamism and efficiency associated with modern machines and industrial forms. The design intentionally avoids naturalistic representation, instead focusing on creating forms that emphasize angular, controlled movement suitable for the mechanical rhythm of a roller rink.

As a document of avant-garde collaboration, the drawing illuminates Léger’s pivotal role in extending modern aesthetics from the easel into the realm of performance art. This piece exemplifies the visual language of the 1922 period, showing how European artists sought to synthesize painting, architecture, and dance. The work is held in the renowned collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Although the original is a unique drawing, historical images and high-quality prints derived from preparatory works like Costume design for the ballet Skating Rink are frequently accessible through resources dedicated to public domain art.