Bakst, Leon (1866–1924)

Russian painter and theatrical designer. He combined intense colours and fantastic images adapted from Oriental and folk art with an art nouveau tendency toward graceful surface pattern. His designs for Diaghilev's touring Ballets Russes made a deep impression in Paris from 1909 to 1914.

He studied for a time at the Imperial Academy of Arts, and was associated with Benois and Diaghilev in the World of Art group and the movement for reviving native Russian art. He exhibited in Paris 1906, and became famous as designer of settings and costumes for Diaghilev's ballets, Scheherazade, 1909, being one of his triumphs. He went to Russia 1922 but returned to Paris soon after. His brilliant and exotic décors for ballet had an influence extending to fashion in dress and interior decoration.