Rolling Stone: The Illustrated Portraits

by Gus Wenner (Editor)

Overview

From iconic portraits to political cartoons, Rolling Stone magazine has cultivated an unrivaled archive of illustrated work by some of the greatest artists of recent times, from Ralph Steadman to Mark Ryden.

2020 SILVER WINNER OF THE FOREWORD INDIES AWARD IN PERFORMING ARTS/MUSIC


For more than fifty years, Rolling Stone magazine has been the defining voice in musical journalism. Alongside its timeless cover images and groundbreaking criticism, the magazine's illustrations have given popular culture a new iconography.

Drawing on five decades of the magazine's archives and with a focus on more contemporary artists and issues, this stunning book collects more than 200 of the most iconic illustrations to have graced its pages—from portraits of major cultural figures (from Bob Dylan to Barack Obama to Madonna) to depictions of key moments in recent history (from Woodstock to Trump's election). Some of the greatest names in art and design have defined the magazine's illustrated lexicon, from modern heroes like Milton Glaser and Ralph Steadman to subversive contemporary artists such as Christoph Niemann and Mark Ryden.

Organized creatively by thematic connection—juxtaposing a legend of one world alongside another and collecting portfolios on specific subjects—and with anecdotes from some of the artists and subjects alongside the images themselves, the book presents a whimsical illustrated history of contemporary culture filtered through the Rolling Stone lens.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780847868797
Publisher:	Rizzoli
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	678,463
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 12.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Rolling Stone magazine was founded by publisher Jann S. Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason in 1967. It has a widespread international circulation of more than one million readers. In 2005, Jann Wenner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone is based in New York City. Gus Wenner is president and chief operating officer of Rolling Stone, the leading voice of music and popular culture for fifty years, reaching nearly 60 million people every month.

Editorial Reviews

"Holiday Gift Guide  - Take home a piece of Rolling Stone history with “The Illustrated Portraits,” a new hardcover book that collects more than 200 of the most iconic illustrations that have graced the pages of this magazine. The book includes portraits of everyone from Bob Dylan to Barack Obama, along with scenes from five decades of music festivals, protests and presidential inaugurations." — ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

From the Publisher

2020-08-28
A coffee-table book visual history of Rolling Stonemagazine.

Although the book, edited by Billboard editor-at-large Levy and Rolling Stone editor Fine, first appears to be another handsome edition to Rizzoli’s impressive catalog, this is more of a glitzy self-celebration. Following an introduction by Gus Wenner, the son of magazine founder Jann and COO of Wenner Media, the collection of illustrations reflects the life of a magazine whose cultural relevance (and page count) has been in steady decline for years. Though the illustrated portraits, extracted from their original contexts, are easy enough on the eyes, there is definitely an unpleasant air of gratuitousness and product packaging. No doubt there are some heavy-duty illustrators represented here, many of whom did some of their best work for the magazine: Milton Glaser’s early-1970s renditions of Stevie Wonder and Jerry Garcia epitomized an unmistakable urban style that would influence an entire decade of graphic design. Al Hirschfeld’s angle-heavy rendering of Madonna is stylish and inimitable but doesn’t quite resemble the Material Girl. Thomas Woodruff’s rendering of Jim Morrison is a welcome departure from the rampant Rolling Stonecaricature style, as he skillfully transforms the Lizard King’s likeness into a mock Old Masters portrait. Fittingly, the book includes a Ralph Steadman portfolio section, which features the now-iconic illustrations that served as the perfect visual complement to Hunter S. Thompson’s acid-casualty flights of gonzo journalism. Unfortunately, the collection includes a number of duds that should have been left in the dustbin of history as the fashionable mistakes they were—e.g., Hanoch Piven’s ill-advised lightbulb-nosed portrait of Bob Dylan and Christian Clayton’s all-thumbs attempt at capturing the essence of the Clash. Overall, the book is a boutique sell that is sure to gather dust on plenty of fashionable bookshelves.

An intermittently interesting look at the illustrated history of an iconic consumer magazine long past its prime.

Kirkus Reviews