Léon Bakst: Rusian costume, set designer, painter (1866-1924)

Léon Bakst: Rusian costume, set designer, painter
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Sampling of Works by Léon Bakst

Costume design for an odalisque based on the ballet Schéhérazade
1910

Program cover: Comœdia Illustré 1912
Queen Thamar and the Prince in Thamar
1912

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in a Leon Bakst costume
1914
Drawn by John Singer Sargent

Léon Bakst (1866-1924) Rusian costume, set designer, painter Léon Bakst helped revolutionize the role of sets and costumes design in dance. He became internationally famous after his design of Schéhérazade which opened in Paris in June of 1910.

Not satisfied with the staid backdrops of Ballet, Bakst designed exotic sets which were an integral part of the production along with beautiful, often oriental, costumes made of explosive pure, bright colors that just floored audiences.

Bakst and his close colleague Alexander Benois are recognized by many as having together revolutionized theatrical design.

Notes

A great web page on Bakst called Exoticsm by the National Gallery of Australia
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