Бакст, Лев Самойлович

Painter, scenographer, graphic artist

Born Grodno, 10 May 1866

Died Paris, 27 December 1924

Léon Bakst was born into a Russian-Jewish family living in the town of Grodno, a city in western Russia. Called Lev Samoilovich Rosenberg, he changed his name to Bakst, his mother's maiden name. He received his formal training at the Academy in St. Petersburg, successfully gaining admission in 1883. Numerous trips to Paris during the 1890s furthered Bakst's artistie education. Under the aegis of Benois Bakst became involved with the theatre. The founding of the magazine Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) in 1898 marked the beginning of Bakst's introduction to the theatrical world. The Mir Iskusstva group's involvement with the Imperial Theatres set the framework and ultimately led to the formation of the Ballets Russes in 1909. Bakst designed costumes, decors, or front drop curtains for numerous productions.

1904

1907

1909

1911

1912

1913

1914

1916

1917

1920

1922-23

1924 - 25

1927

1928

1938

1954

1967 - 68

1972 - 75

1977 - 79

1985 - 86

1991 - 93

1998