Simeon Braguin

Art Brokerage: Simeon Braguin Ukrainian Artist: b. 1907-1997. Braguin was born in Kharköv, in the Ukraine, on January 12th 1907, the son of Anna and Yaköv Braguin. With the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the family came to the United States and settled in New York, where Yaköv worked as a merchant. Braguin went on to take art classes at Columbia University and at the Art Students League, studying under the painter Boardman Robinson, among others. It was around this time that he became friendly with the Ashcan School painter William Glackens, who likely helped Braguin organize the first solo exhibition of his paintings, held at the Marie Harriman Gallery in Manhattan in 1931. During the early 1930s, Braguin supported himself by working as an illustrator, publishing his pen and ink drawings in the Delineator. By 1932, he had joined the staff of Vogue magazine, which did much to enhance his profile in the fashion community. He also did illustration work for other leading magazines, such as Saturday Evening Post and Mademoiselle, and produced advertisements for chic Manhattan-based retailers such as Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Bonwit Teller. Braguin also expanded his creative activity to include fabric and furniture design as well as objets de boudoir for women. After being appointed art director for Vogue, he worked closely with such celebrated photographers as Edward Steichen and Cecil Beaton. Braguin's fashion illustrations--inspired by artists such as Paul Klee, Jean Cocteau and Henri Matisse--were both whimsical and sophisticated, distinguished by an elegant yet playful use of line. Listings wanted.