CLICKBAIT! A Treasure Trove of Pulp Fiction Cover Art

Open through September 1st, 2024

Sex, war, communists, cowboys, and killers. What do these all have in common? With the advent of cheap, mass production of books and magazines, these shocking subjects dominated popular American literature in the mid-20th century. Pulps, named after the inexpensive wood-pulp paper that was used to print on, became a genre of its own by luring millions of readers and dominating the paperback book market with a low price and covers featuring scenes of graphic violence, mystery, and scantily clad heroines.

Although it was the gritty and racy stories that kept readers buying the books…

Cover artists had a rather different, and challenging job- transforming pulp authors’ words into visually dynamic scenes that would grab potential readers’ attention and entice them into making a purchase. Many cover artists were formally trained, and more specifically, developed their artistic skills by working directly from the live, human model and the natural world. Utilizing formal elements such as dynamic perspective, busy compositions, and vibrant, contrasting color, cover artists skillfully created dazzling scenes that distracted potential buyers from the poor quality of paper used to publish pulp books. 

As pulp fiction became more popular, publishing houses began to pop up, and the demand for cover artists became greater. Consequently, the competition among publishers and artists got tougher, the stories and accompanying cover art became racier, and more controversial, thereby raising the pulse of both the readers and the censors. This combination of over-the-top visuals and startling descriptions served as analog clickbait for a potential buyer.

The artwork featured in this exhibition, are part of the archives of the Department of Art & Art History, and the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University. Although not all pieces included in this show have an artist’s signature, below is a list of identified artists:

Hunter Barker
David Palladini
David Blossom
Julian Paul
Richard Harvey
Raymond (Ray) Pease
David McCall Johnston
Fred Pfeiffer
Ron (RH) Lesser
Art Renshaw
Saul Levine
Harry J. Schaare
Joseph Rudolph (Rudy) Nappi
Sydney (Syd) Shores
Victor Olson
Jack L. Thurston

Note about the exhibition: The images in this exhibition are a product of the time in which they were produced. The ideas, themes, and concepts portrayed were commonplace at the time of their creation, but that does not mean they are right. While these images do not represent the views of the Martin Museum, to censor or omit them from view would imply that they never existed or are not worth viewing to learn. Some of these concepts are wrong, but we do not wish to overlook or hide part of past American culture. This is our chance to learn and grow while acknowledging what our past looked like.