Literary Art and Illustration

Here’s a new variation on a theme of publisher trademarks: The borzoi logo of the Knopf publishing house, now owned by Penguin Random House. (In turn owned by Bertlelsmann. (Gadzooks, where does the chain of ownership end?!) The logo was created by Knopf co-owner Blanche Knopf in 1925.

As originally featured in this blog “way back when” in 2016, these images – and others like them – appeared in my blog header through drop-down menus. I’ve decided to display them as individual posts, for greater accessibility.

And so, seventeen variations on a theme of Borzoi. While holding true to the logo’s animating idea, they show a remarkable variation in style and detail. For example, particularly note the contrast between the logo for John Hersey’s Hiroshima (1946), and Loren Baritz’s The Good Life (1989).

The Great Hatred, by Maurice Samuel (1941) – 1

The Great Hatred, by Maurice Samuel (1941) – 2

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Berlin Diary, by William L Shirer (1942) – 1

Berlin Diary, by William L Shirer (1942) – 2

Berlin Diary, by William L Shirer (1942) – 2 (A closer look…)

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Hiroshima, by John Hersey, by (1946)

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The Gentleman and The Jew, by Maurice Samuel (1950)

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Of Whales and Men, by R.B. Robertson (1954)

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Little Did I Know, by Maurice Samuel (1963) – 1

Little Did I Know, by Maurice Samuel (1963) – 2

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My Young Years, by Arthur Rubinstein (1973)

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The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, by Gabriel García Márquez (April, 1986)

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Trust Me, by John Updike (1987)

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The Letter Left To Me, by Joseph McElroy (1988)

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The Good Life : The Meaning of Success for the American Middle Class, by Loren Baritz (1989)

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The Coast of Chicago, by Stuart Dybek (1990)

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The Art of Cartography – Stories, by J.S. Marcus (1991)

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And, this one’s unknown!

In March of 1959, exactly twenty years after the first publication of Isaac Asimov’s “Marooned Off Vesta”, Amazing Stories republished the story, his third and first-published science-fiction story. The 1959 issue featured the same – or almost the same! – or mostly the same? – or basically the same!? – lead illustration as that created by Robert Fuqua two decades prior. Only this time, the illustration was created by the singularly talented Virgil W. Finlay.

Given Finlay’s creativity, originality, and disposition towards symbolism, eroticism, and mythology, the result for this issue of Amazing Stories was remarkably straightforward, albeit naturally completed in Finlay’s immediately recognizable style and attention to detail. It seems obvious that editor Cele Goldsmith or art director Sid Greiff wanted the story’s lead art to follow – and commemorate? – that of Fuqua from 1939, leading to the result on pages 8 and 9 of the March issue. Even given the artistic requirements (limitations/0 he was operating under, Finlay’s art is still superb.

As for the cover? Albert Nuetzell’s simple painting is still a vast and refreshing improvement (not hard to do!) over that of 1939. No megacephalic, big-eared, naked, spindly, blue-skinned aliens here. You can learn more about Nuetzell in the video below…

Sin & Sci-fi in 60s~ (“Charles Nuetzel & Albert Nuetzell (ft. Bill Pronzini) – Ep. 9: S&SF60s“)