Sunday 25 October 2020

Boris Artzybasheff - part 2

Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965) fought with anti-communist White Russians before emigrating to America (he spoke no English and arrived with 14 cents). A chameleon, able to adapt different styles, from children's books to portraits. Renowned for his ability to turn machines into living beings (and living beings into who-knows-what). Advisor to the Psychological Warfare branch during WW II. A profuse illustrator for mainstream magazines: Life, Fortune, and Time (producing over two hundred covers for the latter). He illustrated fifty books, including those he wrote himself, notably "As I See." He did many illustrations for advertising; for Xerox, Shell Oil, Pan Am, Casco Power Tools, Alcoa Steamship lines, Parke Davis, Avco Manufacturing, Scotch Tape, Wickwire Spencer Steele, Vultee Aircraft, World Airways, and Parker Pens. Mechanics Illustrated profiled him with a cover story in 1954, "When Machines Come to Life."

For more information on Artzybasheff, and for earlier works, see part 1 also. This is part 2 of a 12-part series on the works of Boris Artzybasheff:

1925 The Forge in the Forest by Padraic Colum published by Macmillan Co., New York:

Front Cover

End Papers

End Paper

End Paper

Preface and Title Page

Preface

Title Page


















1927 Funnybone Alley by Alfred Kreymborg 

published by Macaulay Company, New York:

Front Cover

End Papers

Frontispiece
A bird of fancy en route to the evening star



Periwinkle Park








The Ballyboo Band


How the Moon thanked the Boys

How they rescued Strawberry's Dolls

Periwinkle Park

Periwinkle Park


Paper Dolls and Puppets

Paper Dolls and Puppets


What the Fisherman taught them

What the Fisherman taught them

The Pelican and the Crane


Long Words and Short Ones

On the Eve of the Bonfire

The Preparations for the Play


Minstrel Man