A Brief History of Magazine Cover Illustration

Created:
Author: anna
Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

J.C. Leyendecker, detail of Votes for Women, Study for Saturday Evening Post Cover, January 1911. Oil on canvas.

Though in many ways illustrated magazine covers are a thing of the past—the beginning of the last century to be precise—many of these long-gone artists are experiencing a resurgence in popularity as young people find and share their work online. And of course, many magazines still run illustrated covers—either regularly, as is the case with The New Yorker, or on special occasions, take the Harper's Bazaar annual Bazaar Art supplement.

Still, the internet age has made full-color imagery overwhelmingly accessible. This is to such an extent that it can be difficult to remember that, at the time these featured illustrations were created, today's accessibility to color did not exist.

The earliest illustrators discussed here had limited color pallets—often grayscale and perhaps one other color—usually red, though sometimes green or orange. As technology and budgets evolved, full-color print runs became possible. Even then, these radiant magazine covers would often be the only full-color artwork individuals had regular access to. So, of course, they were highly desired and made with great care.

 
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Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
JG, Cover for Vogue, July 1910. Woman in black holds up a chicken with elaborate tail feathers.
JG, Cover for Vogue, July 1910.

Though signed by JG there is not much information available about this illustrator, who created a number of Vogue’s illustrated covers. The magazine ran for only thirteen years before it was purchased by Condé Nast in 1905. According to Laird Borrelli, Vogue led the decline in magazine illustration, which may have started in the fashion world. It is certainly true that the magazine’s first full-color photo cover ran in July of 1932 and was part of a rather quick and early shift to photographed covers.

About the Author

Anna Claire Mauney

Anna Claire Mauney is the former managing editor for Art & Object. A writer and artist living in North Carolina, she is interested in illustration, the 18th-century, and viceregal South America. She is also the co-host of An Obsessive Nature, a podcast about writing and pop culture.