Atmospheric Content

When Germano Facetti began working for Penguin in 1961, the company had grown so much that the books were looking a bit all over the place. His job was to transform the new titles and reissues into something contemporary while retaining continuity.

Facetti’s directive was that, “The pictorial idea, be it drawing, collage or photograph, will indicate the atmospheric content of the book.”

Facetti commissioned Henning Boehlke to produce this design for and edition of Heinrich Heine poems.

I suppose this design might refer to the 19th poet’s revolutionary ways? With a 60s vibe?

| Heine, 1967, cover design by Henning Boehlke |

A more recent design for Penguin Poets is this one for Alison Hawthorn Deming’s Rope.

| Rope, 2009, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Brice Marden illustration |

The sinuous ribbons are from one of the best abstract painters around, Brice Marden.

The man who “doesn’t go out and paint stuff.”

Julia Ritson