Summing Up Constantin Alajálov

Constantin Alajálov was a major twentieth century illustrator whose incisive observations of our world graced the covers of the New Yorker and the Saturday Evening Post and appeared in many other publications. For two months, less the usual digressions, his highly original work has been showcased on this blog. So just who was he?

Constantin Alajálov, The Saturday Evening Post, October 6, 1945

http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2011/12/30/art-entertainment/artist-constantin-alajalov.html

The Times published this obituary in 1987, hitting the major biographical points.

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/28/obituaries/constantin-alajalov-is-dead-was-painter-and-illustrator.html

Illustration House's biography of the artist is a little more personal, offering Roger Reed's observations on meeting Alajálov.

http://becodasimagens.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html

http://www.illustration-house.com/bios/alajalov_bio.html

For some reason, Illustration House reproduced this watercolor in black and white.

http://illustration-magazine.com/Illustration_Magazine_Site/23.html

Both the New Yorker and the Saturday Evening Post required their cover artists to work for them exclusively. How Alajálov alone came to work for both publications seems a mystery even to his biographer at the Post. I suspect that he had considerable charisma.

http://www.curtispublishing.com/bios/Alajalov.shtml

Constantin Alajálov, The Saturday Evening Post, May 7, 1940

To my surprise, I was unable to find an obituary notice in the New Yorker, but these are quite rare.

Ernest Watson's chapter on Alajálov's working methods is a uniquely informative source regarding this artist. In addition, Janet Flanner's biographical notes from Conversation Pieces are appended.

"Like most of Alajalov's [New Yorker] cover ideas, this one sprang from nowhere. Once in a while the editors hand him one, but 95% of them are his own."

Ernest Watson, Forty Illustrators and How They Work, 1946, pages 2-3

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/a.htm

"One step in the creation of Alajalov's covers--and an important one--cannot be shown in our demonstration. That is the black and white underpainting over which the final painting is done in color."

Ernest Watson, Forty Illustrators and How They Work, 1946, pages 4-5

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/a.htm

"'Alajalov, with more difficulty, lived on borrowed bread and olives.'"--Janet Flanner

Ernest Watson, Forty Illustrators and How They Work, 1946, page 6

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/a.htm

Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, November 28, 1942

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1942-New-Yorker-November-28-Army-chefs-get-turkeys-for-Thanksgiving-dinner-/121085967558?pt=Magazines&hash=item1c31493cc6

Constantin Alajálov
Ernest Watson, Forty Illustrators and How They Work, 1946, page 3

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/alajalov/al/SH930.jpg

Note:  For the time being I'll have no further posts regarding the artwork of Constantin Alajálov but I'm sure I'll return to him in the future. His art is an inspiration and he has been a joy to write about. As always, I would love to hear from anyone with access to any of his original artwork or letters. He is represented too in several museum collections which may in some cases be available to the public.

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