Brodovitch

``Astonish me!'' was Alexey Brodovitch's constant admonition to the artists, photographers and designers he directed through his long career as a pacesetter of graphic design. As art director of Harper's Bazaar from the depths of the Depression to the high plateau of Eisenhower optimism, he changed the role of graphics and the graphic artist in daily life. In this strikingly handsome book, Grundberg, photography critic for the New York Times , chronicles his subject from dashing Russian emigre to dean of American art directors. A case can be made that as a theorist Brodovitch anticipated the work of Moholy-Nagy, but he wrote little, preferring to devote himself to his work and his many proteges. Besides discussing and unveiling Brodovitch's designs and photos--including a brilliant set for the Ballets Russes--the author also sets the work of such master photographers as Avedon, Penn, Brassai and Cartier-Bresson in context. (Nov.)