Brodovitch, Alexey: PORTFOLIO 1–3. A MAGAZINE FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS, 1950–51. Complete set with mailing carton.

Prev Next

PORTFOLIO nos. 1 – 3
A MAGAZINE FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS

Frank Zachary [Editor], Alexey Brodovitch [Art Director]

Here is an opportunity to acquire a complete set of Alexey Brodovitch's legendary Portfolio magazine in exceptional condition, from a single owner and original subscriber. This set also includes an original mailing carton designed by Brodovitch with the word PORTFOLIO screen-printed in black on a card chipboard tongue-in-slot carton. Original subscribers mailing label attached. Brodovitch's refusal to allow advertising to mar the flow of this magazine led to its quick demise: only three issues were published from 1950 to 1951. A high point of American Graphic Design.

Issue Descriptions:

Frank Zachary [Editor], Alexey Brodovitch [Art Director]: PORTFOLIO. A MAGAZINE FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS. Cincinnati: Zebra Press, Volume 1, Number 1, Winter 1950. First Edition. Folio. A near fine softcover book in thick printed wrappers. Black Covers show a clean crease paralleling the spine and spine tips rounded. The binding glue has dried out causing the wrappers to loosen from the textblock. Magazine interior face-stitched with perfect-bound wraparound covers. Interior unmarked and very clean. Overall, a superior copy. The scarcest of the three issues published in this magazines' short lifespan.

Frank Zachary [Editor], Alexey Brodovitch [Art Director]: PORTFOLIO. A MAGAZINE FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS. Cincinnati: Zebra Press, Volume 1, Number 2, Summer 1950. First Edition. Folio. A nearly fine softcover book in stiff printed wrappers: white wrappers faintly soiled and edgeworn. Cover is bright, white and clean. The interior of the magazine is face-stitched with a perfect-bound wraparound cover. Embossed cover features a Charles Eames Design. A superior copy of this easily abused volume -- one of the best example I have handled.

Frank Zachary [Editor], Alexey Brodovitch [Art Director]: PORTFOLIO. THE ANNUAL OF THE GRAPHIC ARTS. Cincinnati: Zebra Presswith Duell, Sloane and Pierce, Volume 1, Number 3, Spring 1951. First Edition. Folio. A nearly fine softcover book in stiff, cardboards: this issue has a thick dust jacket covering the plain brown chipboard covers. Spine mildly discolored. Virtually all copies of this edition are severely damaged along the spine because of the DJ assembly method and materials. The condition of this particular example is exceptional. The binding is tight and secure, with the textblock complete, and intact. Interior unmarked and very clean.

Also Included: Alexey Brodovitch (Art Director): PORTFOLIO. THE ANNUAL OF THE GRAPHIC ARTS. Cincinnati: Zebra Press. An original mailing carton designed by Brodovitch with the word PORTFOLIO screen-printed in black on a card chipboard tongue-in-slot carton. Original subscribers mailing label attached.

Alexey Brodovitch (1898-1971) is a legend in graphic design: during his 25-year tenure as art director of Harper's Bazaar, he exerted tremendous influence on the direction of design and photography. A passionate teacher of graphic design, advocate of photography and collaborator with many prominent photographers, Brodovitch is often credited with having a major influence on the acceptance of European modernism in America. His use of assymetrical layouts, white space, & dynamic imagery changed the nature of magazine design. He was responsible for exposing everyday Americans to avant-garde artists by commissioning work from cutting-edge artists such as Cassandre, Dali, Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, etc.

Portfolio is considered Brodovitch's greatest achievement-- although short-lived, the magazine captured the dynamic work of some of his emerging star students from his famous Design Laboratory, including Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Art Kane.

The list of contents and contributors for Portfolio reads like a guest list at some great event hosted by an enlightened art patron. "Producing a magazine is not unlike giving a party -- the editor-in-chief has to be a good master of ceremonies." according to Frank Zachary.

Like Brodovitch, Zachary likened publication design to cinematography, where the pacing of visual sequences plays an important role. Art directing and editing are one and the same thing -- you have to keep your eye on both the visual and verbal narration line. "You have to tell two stories, one in words, one in pictures, completely separate -- but like railroad track, leading to the same place." Zachary recounted to Martin Pedersen in Graphis Publications (Zurich, Graphis Press Corp., 1992).

"Astonish me!" was Brodovitch's often quoted exhortation to students attending his "Design Laboratory" classes over the years. Though borrowing "étonnez-moi!" from the Russian ballet master Sergei Diaghilev, with this charge, Brodovitch indeed set in motion the application of the modernist ethos to American graphic design and photography.

Brodovitch's legacy was given a boost by the publication of a major monograph on his work in 2002 by Phaidon. The Phaidon book reproduces every single page of each issue of Portfolio-- a very unusual tribute.

ISSUE 1 CONTENTS:

The first issue includes 6 bound-in giftwrap paper samples, a Paul Rand trademark insert and a tipped-in Bodoni type specimen sheet, and the highest quality printing available in the early 1950s.

Giambattista Bodoni: short article about his modern typeface with many illustrations.
Design From the Mathematicians
E. McKnight Kauffer: Poster Designer: includes many poster and sketchbook designs; several of the poster illustrations are full-page reproductions.
Xerography: New Visual Effects with Powder and Electricity
Trademarks by Paul Rand: short article with bound-in fold-out booklet featuring 12 trademarks.
Giantism: USA
The Good Looking Package: includes 6 bound-in giftwrap paper samples, with information about the stores, designs,artist and producers.
The Gift to Be Simple: Shaker design: short article and 8 pages of illustrations of their art.
Saul Steinberg: short article and 7 full page illustrations of his cartoons.
Photography in Fashion: Portfolios by Irving Penn and Richard Avedon: Irving Penn: short article and 9 photos, 8 full-page; and Richard Avedon: short article 9 photographs, 8 full-page.
News Portfolio: Record album cover art by David Stone Martin; designs by Bradbury Thompson, Paul Rand, Alvin Lustig; Knoll Furniture sales brochure by Herbert Matter; miscellaneous designs by A. M. Cassandre, Jean Carlu, Raymond Loewy, Le Corbusier, Ben Nicholson, Kasimir Malevich and others.

ISSUE 2 CONTENTS:

This issue spotlights the work of Ray and Charles Eames-- one of the earliest magazines to profile the Eames Office. This edition includes an embossed cover, bound-in wallpaper sample, several fold-outs and the highest quality printing available in the early 1950s.

Literary Forms: Article on typography (8 pages, 7 full-page reproductions) that reads as follows:"Rarely is the printed page considered a medium of plastic invention. Its design has become standardized, a machine-like element devoid of feeling and esthetic significance. This is cause for regret, for the variety of forms possible when typography and calligraphy are creatively used approaches that of abstract painting. On the following seven pages, Portfolio, reproduces in facsimile a number of unusual pages which possess real visual charm and excitement. First the modern and French poet Guillaume Apollinaire's sensitive arrangement of his poem IL Pleut (It Rains), trickling down through the clean white air of the page opposite like a gentle spring shower. It is followed in turm by two curious pages from an early Christian panegyric, printed in 16th Century Germany and stenciled with mysterious religious symbols--a superb example of that now extinct form of literary expression known as "carmen figurato" (figured poem). Next is a contemporary spread from Pierre Reverdy's poem Le Chant des Morts (Song of the Dead Ones), with the text in the poet's script and illustrated with lithographs by Pablo Picasso who derived the abstract form of his designs from the skull, the bone and the straight line. Last is a poem by Wu Chang-Shih, one of the greatest modern Chinese calligraphers, written in the calligraphic style known as Ts'ao-Shu, or "grass" style, because of the impromptu nature of the strokes with which are the characters are formed. For designers chafing under the conventional discipline of the printed page in seeking new directions, these pages should bring both pleasure and inspiration.
Charles Coiner & The Container Corp of America Art Series: art director for N.W. Ayer and Son Inc. with 14 illustrated pages, 4 in full-page color: Full page color plates-- Rufino Tamayo, Henry Moore, Morris Graves, Ben Shahn.
The MUMMERS Parade--a unique Philadelphia tradition captured in an amazing 6-page Pull-Out of 30+ photographs-- Sol Mednick, Ben Rose, & Philadelphia School of Art students.
The Amazing Vari-Typer-- the 1st word processor: 10 page illustrated article on James B. Hammond's invention--a typewriter which only the giant Linotype can match.
Advertising Art in 1900: 7 pgs, 25+ images-- vintage packaging, trade cards, etc.-- Yellow Kid, Soapine.
MIRO on the Wall-- wallpaper examples (including full color insert- "Wisconsin."): Illustrated article about wallpaper design, 6 pages, 5 of which are full-page illustrations of wallpaper designs from Katzenbach and Warren Inc.; plus a full-color sample of wallpaper titled "Wisconsin", designed by ILonka Karasz, machine-printed by offset lithography, designs by other artist with illustrations, full-page color design by Miro.
Joseph Low-- Linoleum Typograph: 6 page illustrated article about artist Joseph Low titled, "Linoleum Blocks and Damped Paper".
Cartoonist William Steig: 6 pages, five of which are full-page illustrations of his work.
Cattle Brands: 6 pages, 5 of which are full-page illustrations.
Charles & Ray Eames: 14 illustrated pages, 8 full-page pictures. Feature article Intimate look at this historic team & Santa Monica office-- 25+ photo slideshow, 30+ total images- molded plywood & layout designs-- incl. several candid shots of the architect & his wife.