Entry into art career Alexandre Benois

baba yaga, alphabet in pictures , 1904

three years later while in versailles, benois painted series of watercolors depicting last promenades of louis xiv. when exhibited pavel tretyakov in 1897, brought him attention of sergei diaghilev , artist léon bakst. 3 men founded art magazine , movement mir iskusstva (world of art), promoted aesthetic movement , art nouveau in russia.

during first decade of new century, benois continued edit mir iskusstva, pursued scholarly , artistic interests. wrote , published several monographs on 19th-century russian art , tsarskoye selo. in 1903, benois printed illustrations pushkin s poem bronze horseman, work since recognized 1 of landmarks in genre. in 1904, published “alphabet in pictures,” @ once children’s primer elaborate art book, copies of fetch as $10,000us @ auction. illustrations volume featured @ video presentation during opening ceremony of winter olympics in sochi in 2014.

in 1901, benois appointed scenic director of mariinsky theatre in saint petersburg, performance space imperial russian ballet. moved paris in 1905 , thereafter devoted of time stage design , decor.

during these years, work diaghilev s ballets russes groundbreaking. sets , costumes productions of les sylphides (1909), giselle (1910), , petrushka (1911), counted among greatest triumphs. although benois worked ballets russes, collaborated moscow art theatre , other notable theatres of europe.

surviving upheaval of russian revolution of 1917, benois achieved recognition scholarship; selected curator of gallery of old masters in hermitage museum @ leningrad, served 1918 1926. during time secured brother s heirloom leonardo da vinci painting of madonna museum. became known madonna benois. benois published memoirs in 2 volumes in 1955.

in 1927 left russia , settled in paris. worked set designer after settling in france.