Alexey Brodovitch: Astonish Me

Alexey Brodovitch, a Russian-born photographer, designer, and instructor, was the art director of Harpers Bazaar from 1934 to 1958. This book explores his influence and significance, as well as his tutelage of many celebrated documentary and fashion photographers. It addresses his impact on photography as an artistic medium and how European art and design became the foundation of a new American print culture. Brodovitch's own work will be illuminated through his personal projects, and case studies of his collaborations with photographers reveal pivotal encounters. An illustrated chronology offers an important tool for scholars.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 174 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2024
Publisher: Yale University Press

This lavishly illustrated volume delves into the profound impact and lasting significance of the Russian-born photographer, designer, and educator Alexey Brodovitch (1898–1971), renowned for his influential art direction of the American fashion magazine Harpers Bazaar between 1934 and 1958, as well as his mentorship of numerous renowned documentary and fashion photographers, including Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Eve Arnold, and Lillian Bassman. While their artistic approaches may differ, these figures are united by their adherence to Brodovitch's guiding principle, "astonish me." The authors examine Brodovitch's profound influence on photography as an artistic medium during the mid-twentieth century, exploring how European art and design laid the foundation for a new American print culture. Through his personal projects, such as the magazine Portfolio and the photographic project Ballet, which captured performances of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in the United States, Brodovitch's own work is illuminated, reflecting his own émigré condition. Case studies of his transformative collaborations with photographers like Arnold, Avedon, Penn, Lisette Model, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Hans Namuth, and André Kertész reveal pivotal encounters that may surprise even the most ardent photography enthusiasts. An illustrated chronology serves as a valuable resource for scholars seeking to understand this influential yet often overlooked figure.
Distributed for the Barnes Foundation
Exhibition Schedule:
Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia
(March 3–May 19, 2024)

Weight: 1162g
Dimension: 248 x 336 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300276190