Artzybasheff’s exotic and bizarre illustrations made frequent appearances in the mid-century pages of Life and Fortune and on the cover of Time. Airbrushed forms, masses of accumulated detail and bio-mechanical fantasy figures populate his images. He made a speciality of illustrating the unpleasant and unpalatable. Machines of warfare and the global spread of tropical diseases were typical subjects. Quality control was not always in evidence and some fairly feeble stuff found its way into print but at his best the scale and bravura of his magnificent cast of malevolent characters was irresistible. The visual vocabulary of medieval demonology was cheerfully combined with the Astounding Science Fiction genre.
Boris had a liking for vast, sprawling cosmologies but even by his standards this Hindu Pantheon was a tour de force. Life magazine published it as a three page gatefold in the issue dated March 7, 1955. It was a spectacular image that enabled Boris to deploy his full repertory of grotesqueries but the mood is lighter and more playful than usual despite the decapitations and disembowellings. This was a subject that surpassed even Boris’s wildest imaginings and the finished article has more than a hint of Bollywood about it. This could well have been Boris’s finest hour. For more examples of the strange workings of the Boris imagination, a visit to Chris Mullen’s Alphabet of Illustrators is essential.
6 comments:
Hi Phil:
Please confirm that this artwork is indeed from the March 7, 1955 issue of the LIFE magazine.
Thus far, I have been unable to trace an actual copy of that issue.
Thank you for highlighting this beautiful example. Your earliest response is requested. Much appreciate the links and resources on your excellent blog. Thank you very much. Regards
I'm sorry but I can't really add anything more on this. My notes record the date but there's always room for error!
It is FEB 7, 1955 issue. World's greatest religions part I: Hinduism
It's not bizarre. He depicted the gods and goddesses of Hinduism in exactly the way they are visioned. In his own style, which is a little simplified, but after all, it's Time magazine we are talking about.
I agree with Anonymous. He'd really done his homework. As a child, Ipoured over this fold out in coffee-table book. World's Greatest Religions publ. by TimeLife. Now that I know more about Hindu iconography I'm impressed by how accurately he depicted the many deities.
Hi Mr. Phil,
while searching for the Original of Artzybasheff I stumbled on this Blogsite of yours. What a wonderful depiction of Celestialbeings of Hindumythology andi t has an immense emotional sentiments for our family. My mom had this picture a little larger than A3 in family Altar. This prinout my brother found it in a magazine and brought home. I grew up worshipping in the Family Altar where this framed picture had a very special place. After more than 60 years, moisture has soiled and damaged it. All efforts to have it restored are futile until date. This being the centennary year of my past dead I wish to return this print to the family altar so ourth generation get to pray there too.
Could you please give me some detail where I can find this print. All the pictures that I could find in Internet are so small that I wont be able to print out to the original size. Sad, I cant find this until now. Thanks for more information.
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