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 & 2 also.
This is part 3 of 9 on the works of Léon Bakst:
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| c1910 Mme Ida Rubinstein watercolour, gouache and graphite on paper mounted on canvas 128.3 x 69.2 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| c1910 The Acrobat, possibly from Shéhérazade or Le Dieu Bleu pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper 48.2 x 33 cm |
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| 1910 Costume design for the Sultan Zeman in Schéhérazade graphite, watercolour and gold paint on laid paper 31.8 x 24.9 cm cm Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
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| 1913 Costume design for Schéhérazade |
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| n.d. Costume design for the Blue Sultan in Schéhérazade charcoal and watercolour on wove paper 33.4 x 25.4 cm Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
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| n.d. Costume design for Shéhérazade: Nègre Argente pencil and watercolour, heightened with silver and white, on paper 64 x 43 cm |
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| n.d. Costume design for Schéhérazade |
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| n.d. Costume design for an Odalisque in Shéhérezade watercolour, gouache, gold paint and pencil on paper |
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| 1910 Costume design for an Odalisque in Shéhérezade |
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| Set design for Schéhérazade |
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| Set design for Schéhérazade |
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| Adolph Bolm and Tamara Karsavina in Schéhérazade |
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| Costume for Shah Zeman in Schéhérazade |
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| Costume for Zobeide in Schéhérazade © Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
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| Costume for Zobeide in Schéhérazade © Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu: A Beggar opaque and transparent watercolour with pencil on paper 28.2 x 22.3 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu: Radja opaque and transparent watercolour, gold paint, and pencil on paper 28.1 x 21.4 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu: The High Priest opaque and transparent watercolour, silver paint, and pencil on paper 27.2 x 23.3 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA |
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| 1911 Costume design for a Pilgrim in Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1911 Costume design for a young Hindu Prince in Le Dieu bleu gouache and gold paint over pencil on paper laid on board |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper 28 x 21 cm V&A, London |
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| 1911 Costume Design for Le Dieu Bleu watercolour and gouache over pencil heightened with silver on paper |
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| 1911 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1911 Costume design for Pretres Agni, for The Blue God in Le Dieu Bleu graphite, with gouache, metallic paint, and touches of red watercolour, on ivory laid paper, laid down on board 28 x 17.4 cm Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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| 1911 Costume design for Radja in Le Dieu Bleu pencil, watercolour, gouache, and gold paint on paper |
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| 1911 Costume design for Tamara Karsavina as La Fiancee in Le Dieu Bleu pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper 31.7 x 23.5 cm |
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| 1911 Costume design for Tamara Karsavina as La Fiancée in Le Dieu Bleu watercolour, gouache and gold paint on paper |
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| 1911 Costume design for The Fiancé in Le Dieu Bleu crayon, watercolour, and metallic paint on laid paper mounted to board RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island |
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| 1911 Costume design for the priest Soma from Le Dieu Bleu gouache and gold paint over pencil on paper laid on board |
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| 1912 Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1912 Costume design for a Baiadere with a Peacock in Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1912 Costume design for the Blue God in Le Dieu Bleu watercolour, gouache, and gold paint on paper |
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| 1912 Set design for Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1912 Costume design for the Pilgrim Le Dieu Bleu pencil, gouache and metallic paint on laid paper 67.3 x 48.9 cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA |
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| 1922 Costume design for a Temple Dancer in Le Dieu Bleu watercolour, gouache, metallic paint, and charcoal on paper 64.8 x 47 cm The McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX |
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| n.d. Costume design for Le Dieu Bleu watercolour 27.9 x 22.8 cm |
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| 1912 Costume design for a Little God in Le Dieu Bleu V&A, London |
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| 1912 Costume design for a Temple Servant in Le Dieu Bleu V&A, London |
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| 1912 Tamara Karsavina in Le Dieu Bleu |
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| Nijinsky as The Blue God in Le Dieu Bleu |
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| Nijinsky as The Blue God in Le Dieu Bleu |
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| 1911 Costume design for Vaslav Nijinsky in Le Spectre de la Rose watercolour heightened with silver over counter-proof 48 x 32 cm |
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| 1911 Costume design for Vaslav Nijinsky in Le Spectre De La Rose |
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| Vaslav Nijinsky in Le Spectre De La Rose |
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| 1911 Costume design for Ephebe in Narcisse watercolour |
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| 1911 Costume design for Narcisse © St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music |
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| 1911 Costume design for Narcisse © St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music |
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| 1911 Costume design for Narcisse © St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music |
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| 1911 Costume design for Narcisse |
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| 1911 Costume design for Narcisse |