Léon Bakst (Leib-Khaim Rosenberg) was born in 1866 in Grodno into a Jewish family. At the age of ten he discovered the multifaceted grandeur of the theatre. He even staged his own improvised productions, with actors made of dolls cut out of newspapers and magazines; the 'stage' was also made from boards and whatever materials were at hand. The first 'performances' were based on Verdi operas. But soon Leib-Khaim began writing his own plays.
By the age of twelve he developed an inclination for drawing, which his parents did not support, believing that a useless hobby would harm his school performance. His grandfather came to the young artist's aid, persuading his parents to show the works to the sculptor Mark Antokolsky. Antokolsky liked the drawings and advised Leib-Khaim to apply to the Academy of Arts. One of the artist's closest friends at the academy became Valentin Serov.
Léon Bakst. 'Ancient Terror', 1908. Russian Museum
Despite his diligence, Léon never completed the academy: he left after a scandal erupted over his work shown at a review. On the theme 'Madonna weeping over Christ' Bakst depicted the Madonna as an old woman with disheveled hair. The judges were outraged.
Rosenberg later adopted the pseudonym Bakst — an abbreviation of his maternal grandfather's surname. Under his new name he became known worldwide.
Until the early 1900s Bakst lived mostly in France and only occasionally visited Saint Petersburg. By that time he had become recognized as an outstanding portraitist. During his brief stays in Russia he created a series of portraits of prominent contemporaries: Sergei Diaghilev, Isadora Duncan, Jean Cocteau, Zinaida Gippius and others. Andrei Bely recalled their meeting: 'Red-haired, ruddy clever Bakst refused to paint me simply; he needed me to be enlivened to ecstasy! For that he brought from the editorial office of the magazine "World of Art" his friend, who had eaten ten dogs in the art of enlivening and telling smart stories and jokes; then the predatory tiger Bakst, flashing his eyes, crept up to me, seizing the brush.'
Léon Bakst. 'Boeotian. Costume sketch for N.N. Cherepnin's ballet "Narcissus"', 1911. National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
At the same time Léon met Alexander Benois, and this became a turning point in his life. Bakst joined a group made up of young critics, writers, philosophers, artists and art historians. Their aim was to change the existing state of affairs and start a revolution in the art world.
'Boeotian. Costume sketch for N.N. Cherepnin's ballet "Narcissus"', 1911. Private collection
The figures from the 'World of Art' left a deep mark on Russian culture, rethinking issues of artistic form and expressive language, opening new directions in art. In 1899 Sergei Diaghilev was appointed to a post with special duties. Despite the formality of this position, using his influence he invited well-known artists such as Benois, Korovin, Serov and others to work in the theatre. In 1901 they began creating sets for Leo Delibes' ballet 'Sylvia', which greatly impressed audiences. After Diaghilev left, Bakst continued working at the Imperial Theatres. In 1903 he was invited to design costumes for the Legat brothers' ballet 'The Doll Fairy'. The premiere brought him fame, and Benois later wrote that he had taken a dominant position and remained unsurpassed.
Léon Bakst. 'Faun. Costume sketch for the ballet "Afternoon of a Faun" to music by C. Debussy'. Private collection
From 1910 Léon lived in Paris and collaborated with Diaghilev's troupe. In 1909 the Russian Seasons became popular, impressing European critics and audiences. Fame came to the dancers and artists. Bakst became known worldwide thanks to his fairy-tale sets for 'Cleopatra', 'Carnival' and other productions. In addition to sets, Bakst also worked on costumes. His sketches were used to sew costumes for the best artists of the Imperial Theatres and the troupe. Léon trusted his subtle sense of beauty, not fearing to go against the canons of classical art, and ultimately created expressive, bold images. Dancers performed in harem trousers and dresses made of transparent and light fabrics — something no one had allowed on stage before. Bakst's work showed that color and set design could become full participants in a production, revealing the characters' images.
Léon Bakst. 'Iskander. Costume sketch for P. Dukas's ballet "La Péri"', 1911.
After the Russian Seasons a wave of fashion for everything Oriental and Russian swept across Europe: turbans, shawls and costumes reminiscent of Bakst's stage designs began appearing in fashionable shops. In 1916 Bakst began to contemplate opening his own fashion house. A couple of years later he started designing accessories, clothing and tableware. But his plans were not destined to be fulfilled: the artist fell seriously ill. And in 1924, while working on the production 'Istar' for Ida Rubinstein, the renowned designer and artist died. Musicians, poets and actors came to bid him farewell.
После Русских сезонов по Европе прокатилась волна моды на всё восточное и русское: в модных магазинах появились тюрбаны, шали и костюмы, которые отдалённо напоминали сценические образы по эскизам Бакста. В 1916 году Бакст начал задумываться об открытии собственного дома моды. Спустя пару лет он приступил к разработке дизайна аксессуаров, одежды и посуды. Но планам не суждено было сбыться: художник серьёзно заболел. А в 1924 году, в период работы над спектаклем «Истар» Иды Рубинштейн, известный дизайнер и художник умер. Проститься с ним пришли музыканты, поэты, артисты.
