1938 Harper's Bazaar Cover by A.M. Cassandre

This is a March 1938 cover for Harper’s Bazaar created by French painter and commercial poster artist A.M. Cassandre (1901 – 1968). After signing a contract with the magazine in 1936, he created covers under art director Alexey Brodovitch for several years. Cassandre’s work roots itself in Art Deco and is deeply inspired by Surrealism and Cubism. 

The piece uses positive and negative space and contrast in the overlap of the mannequins. The black-and-white patterning is balanced by accents in primary colors. Movement is created by the curvature and placement of the mannequins. The cover was produced before the classic Didot Bazaar logo was introduced, so the type is hand-drawn. The floating eye in the center was a recurring element in Cassandre’s work for Bazaar. The phrase “Paris Openings” is written next to the eye, following the curve of the space. In the bottom right corner, we see a dove, the symbol of peace, carrying what looks like a rolled-up note. Many of Cassandre’s works had a dreamlike quality about them; with the world on the brink of war, Cassandre wanted to portray fantasy in his work as a means of escape.

" A.M Cassandre, the Legendary Art Deco Poster Artist." a.RetroGraphik. https://retrographik.com/a-m-cassandre-art-deco-poster-artist/.

"A.M. Cassandre." b.Add Global. http://adcglobal.org/hall-of-fame/a-m-cassandre/.

"Alexey Brodovitch | Britannica." c. https://www-britannica-com.libproxy.newschool.edu/biography/Alexey-Brodovitch.