Gutman, Simon Izrailevich (Gūtmanis, Sīmons)

Simon Izrailevich Gutman was a Latvian and Soviet graphic artist, illustrator, and caricaturist. Gutman began his artistic studies at a young age by attending art schools in Riga. During this period, he was a student alongside Romans Suta, the noted Latvian graphic artist. Starting in 1932, Gutman began exhibiting his work professionally. The artist’s foray into the genre of poster design began in the 1940s. During the Second World War, the artist designed cartoons and posters supporting the Soviet fight. He also served in front-line brigades during the war. In addition to his wartime and political posters, the artist designed approximately 800 film posters. Gutman also contributed political cartoons to the newspaper Sovetskaia Latvia. During the postwar period, the artist continued working in the field of posters and designed titles such as, "Join the Agricultural Cooperative!" (1947).

Simon Izrailevich Gutman was a member of the Artists' Union of the Latvian SSR. Various online sources indicate the artist’s date of birth is September 23, 1907.