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Constantin Alajalov

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Constantin Alajálov
American painter and illustrator

Constantin Alajálov (born Konstandin Alaǰalyan, Armenian: Կոնստանդին Ալաջալյան; 18 November 1900 — 23 October 1987) was an Armenian-American painter and illustrator. He was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and immigrated to New York City in 1923, becoming a US citizen in 1928. Many of his illustrations were covers for such magazines as The New Yorker, The Saturday Evening Post, and Fortune. He also illustrated many books, including the first edition of George Gershwin's Song Book. His works are in New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum. He died in Amenia, New York.

Life

Constantin Alajálov was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in 1900 to an Armenian family. In 1917, the Red Revolution broke out, interrupting Alajálov's time at the University of Petrograd. Unable to stay, Alajálov joined a government organized group of artists. Traveling the countryside, they painted large propaganda murals and posters for the revolution. After this, Alajálov emigrated to Persia and again started painting for a revolution until no longer safe.

After his stay in Persia, Alajálov headed to Constantinople, his last stop before he emigrated to America at age 23. Getting a job was hard, but he finally landed one, painting wall murals at a restaurant about to be opened by Russian Countess Anna Zarnekau. Within three years, Alajálov was selling his paintings to The New Yorker magazine, where his first cover appeared on September 25, 1926. He went on to create more than 70 covers for the magazine. He also designed rugs for New York artist and entrepreneur Ralph Pearson.

January 7, 1928 cover of The New Yorker by Alajalov

Alajálov's first cover for the Saturday Evening Post appeared on October 6, 1945; this was unusual in that he was also doing covers for The New Yorker at the time, and both publications ordinarily required exclusivity of their artists. His final cover was for the December 1, 1962, issue. That final cover portrayed an accomplished bridge player awakened from a dream, still analyzing her bridge hand. Many of his Saturday Evening Post cover paintings can be viewed at the American Illustrators Hall of Fame in Indianapolis.

Alajalov died in New York in 1987. His papers are at Syracuse University, and the Archives of American Art. He bequeathed funding for a scholarship in his name to Boston University, which also maintains a collection of his photographs and scrapbooks. The Boston University holdings include a painting of Alajálov by George Gershwin.

Illustrations

References

  1. "Constantin Alajalov Is Dead; Was Painter and Illustrator". The New York Times. October 28, 1987.
  2. "Constantin Alajalov - Artist Biography". The Saturday Evening Post. Curtis Publishing. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  3. Reed, Roger T. "Constantin Alajalov Biography". Illustration House.
  4. Denny, Diana (2011-12-30). "Classic Covers: Constantin Alajalov". The Saturday Evening Post. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  5. "Constantin Alajalov Papers". Syracuse University Library. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  6. "Constantin Alajalov papers, [ca. 1940-1979]". Archives of American Art. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  7. "The Constantin Alajalov collection". Howard Gottlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University. Archived from the original on 2013-06-26. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  8. "George Gershwin's song-book". Library of Congress. 1932. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  9. Alajálov, Constantin (1942). Holme, Bryan (ed.). Conversation Pieces. The Studio Publications Incorporated.

External links

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