Boris Artzybasheff drew many abstract anti-Axis illustrations during World War II for the Wickwire Spencer Steel Company (1901 – 1963). We have seen Artzybasheff’s unique designs of humanoid machines. Here we see him portraying Nazis and their allies during World War 2. Most notably, we see humans transformed into Swastikas, similar to how John Heartfield (19 June 1891 – 26 April 1968) utilized photomontage as a political weapon to depict Nazi Christmas.
Boris Artzybasheff was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the son of noted Russian writer Mikhail Artsybashev, who told him a few days before the outbreak of the First World War, “Get out of Russia, don’t sponge off my reputation, and change your name.”
He began working as an engraver in New York City in 1920. He produced scores of covers for magazines such as Life, Fortune, and Time. His work included illustrations for around 50 books, including ‘As I See, as well as ads for, among others, Casco Power Tools and Scotch Tape.
