Charles E. Martin: Two New Yorker Covers and a Variant

Three fine examples of New Yorker cover art by Charles E. Martin (C.E.M.) were shown at the Westport Historical Society on the evening of April 25, 2014. Two of them were published covers and one was a variant of a published cover. These were the only examples of cover art offered to the public in support of the museum.

A view of Central Park Lake at twilight shows rowboats stacked up for the night not far from the boathouse. Martin's cover art shows us a scene readily recognizable to New Yorkers but bathed in a certain light at day's end that we may not have noticed before. There is a serene air of tranquility; it feels as if we have this corner of the park to ourselves. It was published in the spring of 1977.

Charles E. Martin
Original cover art
The New Yorker, April 25, 1977

Westport Historical Society

Charles E. Martin
The New Yorker, April 25, 1977

Another cover, this one from 1978, is set in a different part of Central Park with a view to the west at sunset. It shows Belvedere Castle as it looked in the 1970's following years of neglect. (The castle tower looks considerably different today following its 1983 renovation.) Once again, no one is present in the park to disrupt our reverie.

Charles E. Martin
Original cover art
The New Yorker, June 19, 1978

Westport Historical Society

Charles E. Martin
The New Yorker, June 19, 1978

Finally, the 1983 artwork is not a New Yorker cover but an interesting variant. Many people who saw it in Westport preferred it to the actual published artwork. It is certainly a lot busier than the published cover, and I too prefer it. Here there are people enjoying the shade; no one at all is present in the magazine's version.

Charles E. Martin
Preliminary cover art
The New Yorker, September 19, 1983

Westport Historical Society

Charles E. Martin
The New Yorker, September 19, 1983

Note:  This third cover may be set in Park Row, but I'm not at all certain. That triple line of trees is rare indeed in Manhattan. If you recognize the area, please assist me in identifying it.

The variant of this artwork shown in Westport was indeed published, I recall, as the front cover of some book—but I can't recall the name or find an image of it. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who can help jog my memory on this one.

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