[Shaos]

I`ve read a book about Leon Bakst, one of the most amazing artist of the beginning of the 20th century. It`s not quite a book, it`s an illustrated album – a little text, many pictures. There is a very short but interesting biography of the painter written by an English author. One of the most sharp and sad point is the information under the pictures – the titles and the owners. Piles of Bakst`s creatures are in the National Gallery of Australia (!!!!!!!!), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, some are from the privet collections… And only few portraits and early works, inclining drawings in some spectacles, are in Russia – in the Russian Museum and the State Tretyakov Gallery. Such a shame not to have his works drawings and costumes in his native country! He works in the most difficult historical period, he spent many years in Europe. But he also worked as an illustrator in Russia and as a teacher of Grate Princes. He could be neglected and totally forbidden in the Soviet times like all Diagelev company. But what happens now? We still cackle about Russian culture, Russian ballet, Russian theatre. But the simplest (and even cheapest) way to see Ciscaridze or drawings of Bakst is to go to London for example. His costumes are marvelous, even the famous museum of decorative arts owns some… By the way decorative arts are disregarded here at all.
Then I thought whether many people know about Bakst now. I asked my friends and it took my breath away but Bakst is forgotten now Chances are that people associate his name with Russian Seasons in Paris…

[Emerald]

Shaos,
Thank you so much for this post. It happened so that Leon Bakst is one of my favorite artists, no kidding. When I was studdingstudying at the Hermitage Art School I was trying to imitate his style a lot, I was very impressed by his technique. His works are beyond the words fabulous and stunning. This is simply incredible how light and fragile his paintings look. The feeling that images are covered with light haze is unique. I think he was the best stage designer as well as costume designer of his time.
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But with his heritage we've got what we've got (deserved if you will). Due to the Pale of Settlement for Jews he was forced to live outside of his native country. Although he was granted permanent residence in Russia at last and the ban was lifted but he never returned (who would??). The Communism Era was not keen on promoting JewsJewish painters either. So what we are left with are only small bits of his works left in Russia and a small number of people knowing about him and interested in his art.
The fact that Gustav Klimt is a better known artist in Russia than Leon Bakst speaks for itself.
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