Lot Essay
Bakst's real artistic growth developed under the tutorship of Alexandre Benois, whom he met in 1890. Benois introduced Bakst to a group of young artists whose catholic tastes and eclectic styles exposed him to a myriad of different artistic possibilities. Numerous trips to Paris during the 1890s furthered Bakst's artistic education. Studying in Paris at the Académie Julian, he came into contact with many of the Post-Impressionist trends, particularly in the works of Bonnard, Vuillard, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Curiously, at this time Bakst had little interest in the theatre. In fact, he considered ballet absurd, frivolous, improper, and without socio-utilitarian redeeming value. But, under the aegis of Benois, who saw ballet as a universe that had not yet been explored or even understood, Bakst finally became involved with the theatre.