Favorsky, Vladimir (1886-1964)

Vladimir Andreevich Favorsky is by many considered the most influential artist and teacher in the disciplines of book illustrations, woodcut and linocut in the Soviet Union. He became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in 1962, and a People's Artist (Народный художник СССР) of the USSR in 1963. 

He studied under Konstantin Yuon in 1903-05, and then in Munich 1903-1907. From 1907-1913 he studied at Moscow art schools.

As an artist, Vladimir Favorsky created an impressive amount of book illustrations in the woodcut and linocut media during the 1920s and 1930s. 

As a teacher, Vladimir Favorsky was active in VKHUTEMAS 1920-1930, where he taught and inspired a whole generation of Soviet graphic artists, including Deineka and Pimenov. He taught at the Polygraphic institute from 1930-34, and at the Institute of Fine Arts 1934-38. 

He also developed a theory - still used today - of how to design and illustrate books.

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