A much underestimated figure in Russian art, Leon Bakst is best known for the decorative art which he created for Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes. Fired by his love of colour, his brightly painted sets and richly coloured costumes combined extravagant designs with refined details to convey a heady atmosphere of Slavonic orientalism. This mixture of modern art with traditional Russian folk art inspired dancers and audiences alike. He became artistic director for Diaghilev in 1909, and his stage designs rapidly brought him international fame. Among his finest creations were the designs for Tchaikovsky's ballet Sleeping Beauty (London, 1921). Bakst also excelled at graphic art, indeed his first real success came in 1898 after he co-founded the influential "World of Art" group, sponsored by Savva Mamontov (1841-1918), and took charge of the illustration of the group's "World of Art" periodical. His exceptional talent at drawing and sketching is exemplified by his pen and ink drawing of Isadora Duncan (1908, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford).
Although less well-known than many of his contemporaries, Bakst remains one of the most influential of Russian artists, and was chiefly responsible for the visual impact of the Ballets Russes. He revolutionised the design of theatrical scenery and costumes, and ranks among the most influential modern artists of the early 20th century.
For full biographical notes on Bakst see part 1, and for earlier works, see parts 1 - 3 also.
This is part 4 of 9 on the works of Léon Bakst:
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| 1911 Programme for LesBallet Russes au Théatre du Chatelet |
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| c1911 Painted Cotton Tunic for Serge Diaghilev's Ballet Russes |
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| 1912 Costume design pencil and gouache, heightened with gold |
1911-1917 Sadko (Serge Diaghilev, Ballet Russes):
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| 1911 Costume design for Sadko: Boyar pencil, watercolour and gouache, heightened with gold, on paper-fronted board 48.5 x 32.8 cm |
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| 1917 Costume design for Sadko |
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| 1917 Costume design for Sadko: Maiden pencil and watercolour on paper laid on paper 68.4 x 48.5 cm |
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| 1917 Costume design for Sadko |
1911-1921 Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien
(The Martyrdom od Saint Sebastion by Gabrielle D'Annunzio):
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| 1911 Costume design for Ida Rubenstein in the leading male role in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien |
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| 1911 Costume design for Ida Rubenstein in the leading male role in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien |
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| 1911 Costume design for Ida Rubinstein as Saint Sébastian pencil and watercolour on paper 28.5 x 21 cm Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA |
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| 1911 Costume design for Ida Rubinstein as Saint Sébastian |
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| 1911 Costume design for La Mère Douloureuse in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien pencil, gouache and metallic paint on paper 27.3 x 16.5 cm The McNay Art Museum, Providence, Rhode Island |
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| 1911 Costume design for the Adoniaste in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien pencil and watercolour on paper 39.5 x 26.5 cm V&A, London |
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| 1911 Costume for dancer Ida Rubinstein in the leading male role in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien, 1912 44 x 27.5 cm |
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| 1911 Stage design for Le Martyre de St. Sebastien pencil on cream laid paper, laid down on board 26.9 x 40 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| c1911-12 Design for Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien |
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| n.d. Costume design for Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien: Vital, fils de prefet pencil and watercolour, heightened with gold, on paper laid down on board 29.7 x 21.8 cm |
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| n.d. Costume design for a Christian Woman in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien pencil and watercolour, heightened with gold, on paper 35.5 x 26.5 cm |
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| n.d. Costume design for Act I of The Martyrdom of Saint Sébastien gouache, pencil and ink heightened with gold |
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| n.d. Costume design for an Old Man in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien watercolour |
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| n.d. Costume design for Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien pencil, watercolour, and gold and silver highlights on paper 31 x 23.5 cm |
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| n.d. Costume design for the Augures (Soothsayers) in Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien pencil, watercolour, gouache, and metallic paint on paper The McNay Art Museum, Providence, Rhode Island |
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| n.d. Costume design for The Martyrdom of Saint Sébastian watercolour and gouache over pencil heightened with gold paint |
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| n.d. Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien poster colour lithograph 133.9 x 205.7 cm The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO |
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| Set design for Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien |
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| Set design for Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien |
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| 1912 Costume design for Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune |
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| 1912 Programme for Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Premiere 29 May 1912 |
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| 1912 Set design for l'après-midi d'un faune gouache on paper 75 x 105 cm National Museum of Modern Art, Paris |
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| 1912 Nijinsky as the Faun |
1912-1913 Les Papillons ( The Butterflies):
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| 1912 Costume design for an Elegant Lady in Les Papillons watercolour over pencil on artist's board 27 x 18.5 cm |
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| 1913 Costume design for Anna Pavlova in Les Paillons opaque and transparent watercolour with pencil on paper 45 x 28 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| 1919 (designed 1906-09) Costume for Vaslav Nijinsky apparently when he danced as a moth in Papillon |
1912 Hélène de Sparte (Helen of Sparta):
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| 1912 Costume design for Hélène de Sparte: Pollux the King opaque and transparent watercolour, gold paint, and pencil on paper 27.1 x 25.3 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| 1912 Costume design for Hélène de Sparte: Menelaus pencil, watercolour and gouache, heightened with gold, on paper 27 x 24.5 cm |
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| 1912 Costume Design for Hélène de Sparte: femmes de la suite de Menelas watercolour over pencil heightened with gold and silver paint on paper |
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| 1912 Costume design for Hélène de Sparte |
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| 1912 Costume design for Porteur de Fleurs in Hélène de Sparte pencil, watercolour and metallic paint on paper, mounted on board McNay Art Museum, Providence, Rhode Island |
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| 1912 Costume for Ida Rubenstein as Hélène de Sparte pencil. watercolour and silver paint on laid paper 27 x 20 cm |
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| 1912 Costume for Ida Rubenstein as Hélène de Sparte pencil and gouache |
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| 1912 Programme cover for Hélène de Sparte |
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| Costume design for Femmes du Peuple (Women of the Multitude) in Hélène de Sparte gouache, pencil, and gold paint on paper |
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| n.d. Costume design for Electra in Hélène de Sparte gouache and watercolour, with graphite and metallic paint, on ivory laid paper, laid down on board 27 x 25.4 cm Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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| 1912 Set Design for Acts 1 and 3 of Hélène de Sparte graphite watercolour and gouache on wove paper 81 x 116.5 cm Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
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| 1912 A stencilled wool belted tunic and breeches: a Brigands costume for the premiere of Daphnis et Chloë, in Paris |
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| 1912 Costume design for a Warrior in Daphnis et Chloë graphite, watercolour and silver paint on laid paper 26.9 x 16.2 cm Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
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| 1912 Costume Design for the Shepherd in Daphnis et Chloë watercolour over pencil on paper |
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| 1912 Costumes for brigands in Daphnis et Chloë © V&A, London |
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| 1913 Costume design for Daphnis et Chloë pencil, watercolour, gouache and gold paint on paper 170 x 65 cm V&A, London |
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| 1927 Costume design for Darcon from Daphnis et Chloë |
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| 1912 Set design for Daphnis et Chloë |
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| 1912 Set design for Daphnis et Chloë, Acts I and III pencil and watercolour on paper laid down on canvas 81 x 117 cm |
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