Janet Halverson
This incredible collection corresponds to an exhibition and catalogue at Katherine Small Gallery in Somerville MA from October 2023, curated by Michael Russem.
from the Gallery:
“Janet Halverson ran with all the big mid-century designers. Her work got plenty of attention, but she, unfortunately, did not. She designed covers and jackets for books written by some of the most important authors of the twentieth century. That and the fact that those covers and jackets are highly regarded by contemporary designers of covers and jacket is, more or less, all that is known about her.”
learn more here:
https://ksmallgallery.com/blogs/exhibits/janet-halverson-an-introduction
From Katherine Small Gallery newsletter, posted 05.30.24:
Janet Halverson: The Update
All the News
No doubt you’ll recall our show about graphic designer Janet Halverson and the fact that she was a mystery to us. As the show came to a close, the Orange County Register ran a story about Janet and the show—and it was syndicated in some eighty papers. To be honest, we didn’t think anything would come of it. But then a few weeks later we got an email from Janet’s niece—who lives, like, thirteen miles from here. She and her husband came in and we had a nice visit. Here’s a little of what we learned:
1 Janet died in New York of Alzheimer’s in 2018. There was no obituary.
2 She was wicked smart, skipping several grades—which explains how she graduated from RISD at 19.
3 Could be a total charmer—although she disliked small children. Very quick with a quip.
4 Janet had two significant partners. One’s name was not recalled but he was half-Japanese. The other partner, Gerhard Hersh (Hirsch?), was a German Jew whose family was killed by Nazis. He was older than Janet and was called Uncle Jerry by the nieces and nephews. They never married as Janet didn’t care about such things.
5 Had a the second casting of a Dimitri Hadzi sculpture. A Rockefeller had the first casting.
6 Her niece once told Janet that she (the niece) was good at spotting Janet’s books in stores, but sometimes grabbed Paul Bacon’s work thinking it was Janet’s. Janet replied that Paul Bacon was a good designer to be mistaken for.
7 She hated her cover for The Thornbirds and resented that the publisher insisted on a naturalistic illustration. She said she never wanted to see the book again.
8 Janet was 5' 11" and had short hair.
9 None of her materials or books survive.
![Harper’s Magazine (August 1966) Harper’s Magazine (August 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26455/fit-500x500/6511b5fb/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_10.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (August 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (June 1966) Harper’s Magazine (June 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26454/fit-500x500/6511b5af/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_9.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (June 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (June 1966) Harper’s Magazine (June 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26453/fit-500x500/6511b557/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_8.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (June 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (March 1966) Harper’s Magazine (March 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26451/fit-500x500/6511b488/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_6.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (March 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (February 1966) Harper’s Magazine (February 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26450/fit-500x500/6511b447/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_5.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (February 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (January 1966) Harper’s Magazine (January 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26449/fit-500x500/6511b3ec/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_4.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (January 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (November 1962) Harper’s Magazine (November 1962)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26448/fit-500x500/6511b35f/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_3.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (November 1962)
![Harper’s Magazine (October 1962) Harper’s Magazine (October 1962)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26447/fit-500x500/6511b309/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_2.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (October 1962)
![Harper’s Magazine (September 1966) Harper’s Magazine (September 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26446/fit-500x500/6511b2e7/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (September 1966)
![Harper’s Magazine (October 1966) Harper’s Magazine (October 1966)](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26442/fit-500x500/6510b27a/1/JanetHalverson-Harpers_.jpg)
Harper’s Magazine (October 1966)
![The Prisoner of Love The Prisoner of Love](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26439/fit-500x500/6510a586/1/JanetHalverson_49.jpg)
The Prisoner of Love
![The Mordida Man The Mordida Man](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26438/fit-500x500/6510a536/1/JanetHalverson_48.jpg)
The Mordida Man
![The Message in the Bottle The Message in the Bottle](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26437/fit-500x500/6510a4e0/1/JanetHalverson_47.jpg)
The Message in the Bottle
![The Last Gentleman The Last Gentleman](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26436/fit-500x500/6510a47e/1/JanetHalverson_46.jpg)
The Last Gentleman
![The Morning After The Morning After](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26435/fit-500x500/6510a429/1/JanetHalverson_45.jpg)
The Morning After
![May We Borrow Your Husband & Other Comedies of the Sexual Life May We Borrow Your Husband & Other Comedies of the Sexual Life](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26434/fit-500x500/6510a397/1/JanetHalverson_44.jpg)
May We Borrow Your Husband & Other Comedies of the Sexual Life
![An Area of Darkness An Area of Darkness](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26433/fit-500x500/6510a32a/1/JanetHalverson_43.jpg)
An Area of Darkness
![A Book of Common Prayer A Book of Common Prayer](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26432/fit-500x500/6510a2c6/1/JanetHalverson_42.jpg)
A Book of Common Prayer
![Mauve Gloves & Madmen, Clutter & Vine Mauve Gloves & Madmen, Clutter & Vine](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26431/fit-500x500/6510a25e/1/JanetHalverson_41.jpg)
Mauve Gloves & Madmen, Clutter & Vine
![Composition No. 1 Composition No. 1](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26430/fit-500x500/6510a1b8/1/JanetHalverson_40.jpg)
Composition No. 1
![The Fixer The Fixer](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26429/fit-500x500/6510a171/1/JanetHalverson_39.jpg)
The Fixer
![The Pre-Rephaelite Dream The Pre-Rephaelite Dream](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26428/fit-500x500/6510a11a/1/JanetHalverson_38.jpg)
The Pre-Rephaelite Dream
![Painting of the High Renaissance Painting of the High Renaissance](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26426/fit-500x500/6510a0c7/1/JanetHalverson_36.jpg)
Painting of the High Renaissance2
![Essays on Elizabethan Drama Essays on Elizabethan Drama](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26425/fit-500x500/65109f98/1/JanetHalverson_35.jpg)
Essays on Elizabethan Drama
![Antiworlds and “The Fifth Ace” Antiworlds and “The Fifth Ace”](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26424/fit-500x500/65109f22/1/JanetHalverson_34.jpg)
Antiworlds and “The Fifth Ace”
![Venice Observed Venice Observed](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26423/fit-500x500/65109e93/1/JanetHalverson_33.jpg)
Venice Observed
![Puritanism & Revolution Puritanism & Revolution](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26422/fit-500x500/65109e2f/1/JanetHalverson_32.jpg)
Puritanism & Revolution
![The Stones of Florence The Stones of Florence](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26421/fit-500x500/65109d72/1/JanetHalverson_31.jpg)
The Stones of Florence
![Maker of Heaven and Earth Maker of Heaven and Earth](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26420/fit-500x500/65109d02/1/JanetHalverson_30.jpg)
Maker of Heaven and Earth
![The Chinese Looking Glass The Chinese Looking Glass](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26419/fit-500x500/65109c9f/1/JanetHalverson_29.jpg)
The Chinese Looking Glass
![The Orgy The Orgy](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26418/fit-500x500/65109aa6/1/JanetHalverson_28.jpg)
The Orgy
![Baby, Come On Inside Baby, Come On Inside](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26417/fit-500x500/65109a3a/1/JanetHalverson_27.jpg)
Baby, Come On Inside
![Mount Analogue Mount Analogue](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26416/fit-500x500/651099de/1/JanetHalverson_26.jpg)
Mount Analogue
![The Trail of Dr. Adams The Trail of Dr. Adams](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26415/fit-500x500/6510997f/1/JanetHalverson_25.jpg)
The Trail of Dr. Adams
![Zip: A Novel of the Left and the Right Zip: A Novel of the Left and the Right](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26414/fit-500x500/65109932/1/JanetHalverson_24.jpg)
Zip: A Novel of the Left and the Right
![The Game of Dostoevsky The Game of Dostoevsky](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26412/fit-500x500/6510981c/1/JanetHalverson_22.jpg)
The Game of Dostoevsky
![Evolutionary Socialism Evolutionary Socialism](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26411/fit-500x500/651097aa/1/JanetHalverson_21.jpg)
Evolutionary Socialism
![The Design of Everyday Things The Design of Everyday Things](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26410/fit-500x500/65109744/1/JanetHalverson_20.jpg)
The Design of Everyday Things
![Pandora’s Box Pandora’s Box](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26409/fit-500x500/651096ec/1/JanetHalverson_19.jpg)
Pandora’s Box
![Boswell: A Modern Comedy Boswell: A Modern Comedy](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26408/fit-500x500/65109678/1/JanetHalverson_18.jpg)
Boswell: A Modern Comedy
![The 20th Century Capitalist Revolution The 20th Century Capitalist Revolution](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26407/fit-500x500/65109615/1/JanetHalverson_17.jpg)
The 20th Century Capitalist Revolution
![The Sudden View The Sudden View](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26406/fit-500x500/651095a4/1/JanetHalverson_16.jpg)
The Sudden View
![Confrontation: Black and White Confrontation: Black and White](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26405/fit-500x500/651094d3/1/JanetHalverson_15.jpg)
Confrontation: Black and White
![Battle for Manhattan Battle for Manhattan](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26404/fit-500x500/65109468/1/JanetHalverson_14.jpg)
Battle for Manhattan
![Before the Mayflower Before the Mayflower](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26403/fit-500x500/651093d2/1/JanetHalverson_13.jpg)
Before the Mayflower
![JFK and LBJ JFK and LBJ](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26402/fit-500x500/65109208/1/JanetHalverson_12.jpg)
JFK and LBJ
![The Culture Consumers The Culture Consumers](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26400/fit-500x500/65108ffa/1/JanetHalverson_11.jpg)
The Culture Consumers
![Battle for the Mind Battle for the Mind](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26399/fit-500x500/65108f93/1/JanetHalverson_10.jpg)
Battle for the Mind
![The Textile Arts The Textile Arts](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26398/fit-500x500/65108f36/1/JanetHalverson_9.jpg)
The Textile Arts
![Curtains Curtains](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26397/fit-500x500/65108eb4/1/JanetHalverson_8.jpg)
Curtains
![The Dancing Bees The Dancing Bees](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26396/fit-500x500/65108de8/1/JanetHalverson_7.jpg)
The Dancing Bees
![Man and the Living World Man and the Living World](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26395/fit-500x500/65108d80/1/JanetHalverson_6.jpg)
Man and the Living World
![Franz Rosenzweig: His Life and Thought Franz Rosenzweig: His Life and Thought](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26394/fit-500x500/65108d06/1/JanetHalverson_5.jpg)
Franz Rosenzweig: His Life and Thought
![Human Nature in the Light of Psychopathology Human Nature in the Light of Psychopathology](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26389/fit-500x500/6510727a/1/JanetHalverson_4.jpg)
Human Nature in the Light of Psychopathology
![And Still I Rise And Still I Rise](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26388/fit-500x500/651071ed/1/JanetHalverson_3.jpg)
And Still I Rise
![The Summer Before the Dark The Summer Before the Dark](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26387/fit-500x500/651071dd/1/JanetHalverson_2.jpg)
The Summer Before the Dark
![Charles Chaplin: My Autobiography Charles Chaplin: My Autobiography](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/26384/fit-500x500/65106e94/1/JanetHalverson_.jpg)
Charles Chaplin: My Autobiography
![Play It as It Lays Play It as It Lays](https://thumbs.peoplesgdarchive.org/static/media-items/image/8143/fit-500x500/61ba258e/1/PlayItAsItLays.png)