Biography

Leon Bakst

B. 1866 Grodno, Belarus D. 1924 Rueil, France

Leon Bakst was one of the most talented and internationally renowned theater artists and designers, working for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and a participant in the World of Art artistic movement, which revolutionized art in the early 20th century.

His gloriously innovative approach to theatrical design, characterized by his bold use of color and classical references, ensured that Bakst's influence extended far beyond the stage, permeating the spheres of haute couture, interior design, and jewelry design: according to Sir Osbert Sitwell, “every chair cover, every lampshade, every cushion, reflected the Russian Ballet, the Grecian or Oriental visions of Bakst and Benois.”' The central ethos of the Mir Iskussstva, from whence Diaghilev's Ballets Russes emerged, a synthesis of the arts, and the search for beauty in every aspect of life is equally discernable in Bakst's theatrical designs: the artist distinguished himself from his contemporaries and predecessors by approaching the dramatic arts in their entirety, considering every aspect of a production from sets to make-up to lighting to the costumes themselves.