Leon Samoilovich Bakst, a renowned Russian painter and graphic artist, as well as a theatrical designer, chose his pseudonym from his grandmother's surname, Baxter. He received official permission to use this surname after marrying Lyubov Pavlovna Tretyakova, the daughter of the famous collector Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov.

Bakst was born in 1866 in Grodno to a family with limited means. Initially, his parents did not support his passion for art, but noticing his persistence, they sent his drawings to the sculptor Mark Matveyevich Antokolsky. He highly appreciated the works and recommended serious training, which determined the future of the young artist. In 1887, Lev became a free listener at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.

A significant part of Bakst's work is associated with the magazine "World of Art" in St. Petersburg, where he headed the art department and gained fame as a graphic artist and designer. His works began to appear in European publications.

Bakst also taught painting at the school of Elizabeth Nikolaevna Zvantseva, where his approach to teaching students was characterized by respect for their creative abilities. Among his students was Marc Chagall, who noted that Bakst had a significant influence on his life.

In 1910, Bakst moved to Paris to work on decorations for the Russian Seasons. His stage designs made a strong impression, and from that moment on, his career was inextricably linked to the theater, bringing him worldwide fame.

Thanks to Bakst, the stage interior became an important part of theatrical action, and costumes and design acquired key significance in the composition of performances. He created "moving paintings" on stage.

In 1914, Bakst was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest award in France. His career as a fashion designer also flourished, and Paris admired his creativity, which was reflected in both fashion and exhibitions, as Maximilian Voloshin recalled.