Leon Bakst Watercolor Painting Of Ida Rubinstein's Costume As Saint Sebastian signed dated and inscribed in Pencil.

I must admit, I got floored when I first saw this one. I immediately went to a gallery to have it checked. They say it's a real watercolor painting and the signature and inscription are written in pencil. The similarities are uncanny. The thing that baffled them is that it has a digital catalog published by The Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum therefore they assume that it should still be in their hands. You can see it if you googled it.

I wouldn't have acquired this per se but at the back of the the painting is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum label. I was really hoping it's the original.

This is probably Leon Bakst's most important painting. Not only because it's an Ida Rubinstein's Costume but also because it's her costume as a Saint. In 1911 it's quite the scandal that woman, more so a Jew, would play a male Saint. It got her the ire of the church.

I've since then contacted the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to ask if they still have the original which Isabella Stewart Gardner bought from Leon Bakst in 1914 for $250. They say they still have it with them.

Image size: 11.25 x 8.25 inches

Update: I've opened up the back of the frame to get the painting out and added photos (the last 4 photos). I did so to make sure that it is not a print. The paper doesn't have any other text to indicate it is a print.

It's a thicker stock paper. The image also shows pencil sketch lines on the outline of the painting. I could also feel the difference of texture between the paper and the image. As you can see on the tape (as it was taped to the matting) and the color of the paper that this is an old painting.