Leonid Pasternak was born in Odessa, but he moved to Moscow in 1889.

He developed an original style of graphic and pictorial writing, immersing the space of the image in a soft "twilight" chiaroscuro. He was a gifted portraitist who drew heartfelt inner lives of their models.

He worked productively in the journal and book graphics, and created, particularly, at the request of L.Tolstoy, dramatic illustrations perfectly consonant with the text of his "Resurrection". 

He was actively engaged in teaching at his own art school and courses of Higher art and technical workshops.