Sunday, November 9, 2008

Model for the Modern Magazine

I have chosen to do my biography on Alexey Brodovitch.

Brodovitch was born in 1898 in Russia. His childhood goal was to attend the Imperial Art Academy. He eventually abandoned this goal and opted to fight the Czarist army. At the end of his service Brodovitch moved to Paris with his family. In Paris he began demonstrating his dominate artist style. He won many awards, making him stand out from the crowd. In 1930 Brodovitch began teaching at the Philadelphia College of Art. It would be shortly after his move to America that Brodovitch would begin his journey on becoming one of the most influential art directors in the Golden Age of Magazines. 

In 1934 a man named Carmel Snow saw Brodovitch's work. He was instantly drawn to the work and offered him the job of Art Director at  Harper's Bizaar. Brodovitch excepted the offer creating one of the most influential teams in design and magazine history. 

Brodovitch remained Art Director for 24 years.
He used the works of many famous artists, photographers and designers. Some of these included A.M. Cassandre, Salvador Dali and Man Ray. He is remembered for his love and style of photography. He was quite successful at creating very clean and elegant photos and layouts.


He continued to art direct the magazine Portfolio that was unsuccessful financially but hugely successful in the design world. He also continued teaching students at what he called his "design laboratory." Eventually he moved back to France where he died in 1971.


Brodovitch's was influentialy to the design world for two main reasons. The first was helping to introduce a european design style to US magazines. He did this by simplifying the layouts drastically. The second was by utilizing all forms of art in his layouts. Paintings, illustrations, photos were all included; and by many different artists. 

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