Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out by Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith, or the “Empress of the Blues”,  is considered to be the most popular female blues singer of the interwar period and was a major influence on blues singers and jazz vocalists during the 1930s. This album cover was designed for Smith's album titled Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out, which she released in 1924. During the time of this album's release, there were not many black female musicians who had made a name for themselves just yet. Because of this, Smith needed to stand out amongst all other blues and jazz musicians to develop her own popularity.

This album cover depicts Bessie Smith herself encased in a golden frame against a dark maroon background. These rich colors were primarily used by black artists during the Harlem Renaissance, and are able to effectively compliment and ornament Smith within this cover art. During this time period, representations of black people in designs were not usually represented in a positive way. This album cover creates a shift from that norm, as Bessie Smith is displayed beautifully in a gown while smiling and posing elegantly. 

The typography used in this artwork is very interesting, as Bessie Smith's name is showcased with a bold display font that calls for the attention of anyone who may see this album cover. The use of bold display fonts by black designers within artwork was a very common design choice during this time. The smaller serif font under her name reads out the title of the album, with a small note under that signifying her title of the “Empress of the Blues” while also stating that these songs were all originally recorded by Smith.