“The Passion of Muhammad Ali” Esquire Cover, April 1968 

George Lois’ April 1968 Esquire cover is an embodiment of the integral Pop Art movement in design history. Muhammad Ali, a loved public figure and world renowned fighter, is featured as the muse of this political design. 

Before the publication of this edition of Esquire, Muhammad was involved in a heated public scandal. Turmoil grew in America regarding the conflict in Vietnam and U.S involvement in 1967. As men were required to enlist, Muhammad Ali infamously refused, citing his religious beliefs. In a country founded on the basis of freedom, Ali was stripped of his boxing titles and received strong public backlash.

Lois’ cover was published after Ali’s public downfall and portrays a political anti-war message through the design’s compositional components. Ali’s stance and battered appearance are reflective of the patron saint of soldiers, St. Sebastian. As the central focal point, the viewer's eyes are drawn to the arrows piercing through Muhammad and the red blood which drips from his skin. These details are  reminiscent of the historical painting Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Il Sodoma, an Italian painter during the early 16th century. 

A beloved catholic figure, St. Sebastian was a Roman Captain executed in the 3rd century after abusing his power to protect the lives of persecuted Christians. The cover underscores the hypocrisy of Muhammad’s persecution, as he faced religious discrimination for refusing to fight for a country that claimed  to uphold his rights to free speech and religion. 

Intertwining historical references with occurring Pop Culture events is a heavily effective marketing technique which not only adds depth to the design, but conveys its messaging in a stealth manner. There is an alluring component to the secrecy in which Lois creates within his design as it requires thought and debate, engaging viewers to decipher his creations in order to discover its absolute truths.