In 1899, Leon Bakst co-founded with Sergei Diaghilev the influential periodical Mir Iskusstva, meaning "World of Art". His graphics for this publication brought him fame.
Then he continued easel painting as well producing portraits of Filipp Malyavin (1899), Vasily Rozanov (1901), Andrei Bely (1905), Zinaida Gippius (1906). He also worked as an art teacher for the children of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia. In 1902, he took a commission from Tsar Nicholas II to paint Meeting of Russian sailors in Paris.
