Leon Gaspard was born and raised in Russia where he began his artistic education. He later studied under W.A. Bouguereau at the Academie Julian in Paris. The artist first traveled to Taos, New Mexico in the summer of 1916 on the advice of a friend, who suggested that the clean and quiet environment would be the ideal place for Gaspard to recover from injuries suffered during World War I. The artist apparently agreed, settling permanently in Taos in 1918. Though he never joined the Taos Society of Artists, Gaspard was an active member of the art colony based around the Pueblo. Rick Stewart writes of Gaspard's reaction to Taos, "he was captivated by the area. He felt a kinship with this wild colorful place, vibrant with traditions. It reminded him of his boyhood region in his native Russia" (Leon Gaspard, p. 5).

Gaspard traveled extensively throughout his career and returned to Taos with artifacts and memories of his journeys that he translated into vibrant, colorful images on canvas. The artist wove his subjects into tapestries of color with sweeping brushstrokes surrounding their faces. His intention was to capture the spirit of the places he visited rather than the specific likenesses of his figures. His memories of the exotic cultures he encountered on his trips to Asia and the Far East influenced his image of the Indians he painted in Taos. Rick Stewart writes: "The varied ceremonies, processions, and pageantry of the Indians fascinated him. The animated vibrancy of a small work like Indian Headdress, painted in 1930, is indicative of his affection for their costume and decoration, which reminded him of the Eurasian places he had visited" (Leon Gaspard, p. 7).