Russian-French artist Marc Chagall, a key figure of modernism, had explored a wide range of media as an artist, from paintings and drawings to stained glass and ceramics. His major projects included the ceiling of the Paris Opéra, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Jerusalem Windows of Israel.

Léon Bakst was a Russian painter, costume designer, and scene designer of Belarusian origin. He worked closely with the Ballets Russes, where he designed richly colored, exotic costumes and sets. His best-known works include productions like Daphnis and Chloe, Spectre de la rose, and The Sleeping Princess. In 1914, he was made a member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Chaim Soutine was a Belarussian painter who lived and worked in Paris. Best remembered for his contribution to the expressionist movement, Soutine served as a bridge between the growing form of Abstract expressionism and more traditional approaches. Today, many of his paintings are preserved at places like The Jewish Museum in New York.


One of the leading figures of the Constructivist style of art, Antoine Pevsner was a renowned Russian sculptor and the brother of fellow sculptor Naum Gabo. Though his early works show a strong Cubist influence, he rejected the idea later and issued the Realistic Manifesto. He spent his later years in Paris.



Polish sculptor and painter Helena Skirmunt was initially mostly homeschooled but later learned art at places such as Dresden, Vienna, and Paris. She specialized in both landscapes and family portraits, while she later focused on religious themes. She was deported in the wake of the January Uprisings.

