Leon Bakst

Léon Bakst (1866-1924), Russian decor and costume designer, born in Belorussia.

Léon Bakst belonged to that young generation of European artists who rebelled against 19th century stage realism, which had become pedantic and literal, without imagination or theatricality.
Bakst’s fame lay in the ballets he designed for the Diaghilev Ballets Russes, and huge pageant spectaculars for dancer and patron, Ida Rubinstein.

Sketches of Isadora Duncan	The portrait of Isadora Duncan (Oxford, Ashmolean) in brush and ink, dates from her Russian tour in 1908. He was made famous by his work with the Ballets Russes..