Léon Bakst - part 9

Léon Bakst by Amedeo Modigliani
oil on canvas 55.3 x 33 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

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 - 8 also.

This is part 9 of 9 on the works of Léon Bakst:

n.d. Costume Study

n.d. Costume Study

n.d. Deer and Flamingo
pencil. watercolour, and blue gouache on paper 32 x 24 cm
The Morgan Library & Museum, New York

n.d. Delphi
watercolour on cardboard

n.d. Design for a decorative panel
V&A, London

n.d. Faun
pencil on paper 20 x 12 cm

n.d. Figure in Motion
pencil on paper 24.8 x 20.6 cm

n.d. Head of a Woman
black crayon, with graphite, on cream wove card, laid down on ivory laid paper 25.4 x 19.9 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL

n.d. La Surprise
pencil and watercolour on paper laid on board 

n.d. Landscape
pencil and watercolour on paper 66.5 x 37 cm

n.d. Le monstre de la guerre (The monster of war)
pencil on artist's board

n.d. Male Portrait
graphite on paper

n.d. Male Portrait

n.d. Nude Studies
pencil on paper

n.d. Nude Study
charcoal on paper 17.8 x 11.4 cm

n.d. Nude Study
watercolour

n.d. Oriental Costume Design

n.d. Portrait of a Girl Wearing a Kokoshnik

n.d. Portrait of Lubov Gritsenko

n.d. Portrait of the artist's Son

n.d. Portrait of the Future Countess Henri de Boisgelin
(Rachel Strong)

n.d. Portrait of Walter Nouvel

n.d. Pose de Voile
ink on paper laid down on card 24 x 20.5 cm

n.d. Rose Hip

n.d. Ship
pencil on paper

n.d. Town Square in Lobenicht, Kaliningrad
oil on panel

n.d. Untitled

n.d. Venice, Lido beach
oil on canvas-board 19.5 x 29.3 cm

N.D. Textile Designs:

c1922 Textile design
watercolour on paper

Textile Design on paper

Textile Design on paper

Textile Design on paper

Textile Design on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil and watercolour on paper

Textile Design
pencil on paper

Textile Design
watercolour on paper

Textile Design
watercolour on paper

Textile Design
watercolour on paper

Textile Design
watercolour on paper