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Alajalov, Constantin [1900-1987. Russia/USA. Illustrator]

 

Constantin Alajalov was born in Rostov, Russia on 18 November 1900. He went to study at the University of St Petersburg. However, his formal education was cut short by the Revolution of 1917. He then travelled throughout the Soviet Union as a member of a new government artists guild. Following one assignment, which took him to Persia, Alajalov moved to Constantinople, Turkey, where he worked as a sign painter, and thence on to New York in 1923. Not long after his arrival, he received a commission to paint the murals of Countess Anna Zareku's Bi-Ba-Bo Club in midtown. This was followed by similar commissions for nightclubs, hotels and restaurants, and for the ‘S.S. America’. From the mid-1920s he began creating illustrations for the cover of 'The New Yorker'. From 1926 to 1960 he produced a total of 169 cover designs for the magazine. He also produced something like 75 covers for 'The Saturday Evening Post' between 1945-1962. Alajalov also illustrated numerous books and designed sets for Michael Mordkin’s Ballet and posters for many theatrical productions. He taught at Phoenix Art Institute. Alajalov died in Amenia, New York on 23 October 1987.

Syracuse University Library in Syracuse, New York, has a collection of Alajalov’s papers, published illustrations, covers for ‘The New Yorker’ and original drawings.

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Photograph of Constantin Alajalov

Photograph of Constantin Alajalov

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