Alexandre Benois (1870-1960) came from an artistic family. He was one of the founding members of the "World of Art" group, and was a frequent contributor to the magazine and to the group’s expositions. A specialist on ancien-regime French art, Benois designed frequently for the theater, including the French-inflected designs for Le Pavillon d’Armide which became the first ballet Sergei Diaghilev staged in Paris in 1909. By far his most famous production, however, was Petrushka in 1911, for which he also co-wrote the libretto (with Igor Stravinsky).

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