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Vladimir Bobri  was an illustrator, writer, composer, educator and guitar historian. 

While best known as an artist and graphic designer, he was also a founder of the New York Society of The Classic Guitar in 1936, and editor and art director of Guitar Review.

After graduation from the Kharkiv Imperial Art School, Bobri began as a set designer for the Great Dramatic Theatre of Kharkiv, before fleeing during the Russian Civil War.  Bobri traveled Eastern Europe on a handmade passport, painting icons in the Greek islands, playing in Pera, painting signs Istanbul and ultimately migrating to the US in 1921.

After several years, he took an art director position with Saks and later as a freelance advertising illustrator.

On February 6, 1926, the first of Bobri's seven covers for The New Yorker magazine appeared. By the 1930s, he had become a leading illustrator in the advertising world and a well regarded as an illustrator of children's books. He contributed to Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, McCall's and many other magazines.   

In 1972, Bobri was decorated with the Cross of Isabel la Catolica with the rank of Knight-Commander, recognizing his lifelong achievements as a designer, painter, art director, composer and writer, and his use of those talents to increase awareness of Spanish culture. The award was presented by the consul general of Spain in New York, at a ceremony attended by Spanish dignitaries including Andrés Segovia. 

 


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