Milton Glaser

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Lore & Background

Milton Glaser was born in The Bronx, New York City, to Hungarian Jewish immigrant parents Eugene and Eleanor. He took drawing classes with artists Raphael and Moses Soyer before attending the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan. After graduating from the Cooper Union and a trip to Italy, he co-founded Push Pin Studios in 1954 with Reynold Ruffins, Seymour Chwast, and Edward Sorel. The studio rejected tradition and favored 'reinvigorated interpretations of historical styles,' becoming a guiding reference in graphic design. In 1966, Glaser designed a poster for Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, inspired by Marcel Duchamp's 1957 Self-portrait and Art Nouveau; six million posters have been printed. In 1977, while sitting in the back of a taxi, he designed the I ❤ NY logo for a state tourism campaign, inspired by Robert Indiana's LOVE design. He gave his work to the city for free. After the September 11 attacks, he designed a modified version with a blackened heart to symbolize the attack on the World Trade Center. In 1968, he co-founded New York magazine with Clay Felker, writing the 'Underground Gourmet' column for seven years with Jerome Snyder. Glaser started his own firm, Milton Glaser Inc., in 1974, and in 1983 formed WBMG with Walter Bernard. He designed more than 400 posters and created the typeface Glaser Stencil in 1970. He died of a stroke and renal failure on his 91st birthday.

Reader's Guide

Milton Glaser's significance lies in his role as a transformative figure in graphic design, merging commercial work with cultural commentary. His I ❤ NY logo became a pop culture icon and a symbol of civic unity, especially after the September 11 attacks, earning New York state $30 million each year. The 1966 Bob Dylan poster, with its psychedelic, swirly hair and Baby Teeth typeface, exemplified the fusion of art and music marketing. As co-founder of Push Pin Studios, he helped redefine design by rejecting tradition and reviving historical styles, influencing visual culture at large. His work is held in permanent collections at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Israel Museum. In 2009, he became the first graphic designer to receive the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Barack Obama. His legacy includes not only iconic logos and posters but also the founding of New York magazine, which set a model for city magazines. Glaser's designs continue to be reproduced globally, and his approach—rooted in playful, psychedelic graphics with controlled blasts of colors, silhouettes, and bold geometric outlines—remains a touchstone for designers.

Did You Know?

• Glaser designed the I ❤ NY logo while sitting in the back of a taxi on the way to a meeting, and he gave the work to the city for free.
• The 1966 Bob Dylan poster was inspired by Marcel Duchamp's 1957 Self-portrait and Art Nouveau; six million copies have been printed.
• Glaser was the first graphic designer to receive the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Barack Obama in 2009.
• After the September 11 attacks, Glaser created a modified I ❤ NY logo with a blackened heart to symbolize the attack on the World Trade Center.
• Glaser co-founded New York magazine with Clay Felker in 1968 and wrote the 'Underground Gourmet' column for seven years.