Aretha
Artist
Milton Glaser
United States, 1929 - 2020
Date1968
Dimensions25 1/2 x 19 in. (64.8 x 48.3 cm)
ClassificationsPoster
Credit LinePoster House Permanent Collection
Object numberPH.6623
DescriptionThis poster was originally designed as a fold-out insert for the November 1968 issue of Eye Magazine, a short-lived 1960s publication dedicated to youth culture. This was a pivotal year in Aretha Franklin’s career. She was the top-selling female vocalist in music history, and her hit song “Respect” had just landed her two Grammy Awards. She also became the voice of the civil rights movement when she sang at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral in April, underscoring her talent not just as an entertainer but as an inspiration for social justice. Glaser noted that he was influenced by the work of Matisse while working on this composition, as well as by elements of Art Deco. It is also an excellent example of the way in which he often incorporated type as a graphic aspect of the overall image rather than as an accompanying afterthought.On View
Not on view
2023
