Gene Szafran

It has been very difficult to find much information about the American artist/illustrator Gene Szafran. He was born in Detroit, and studied there at The Society of Arts and Crafts, where he also later taught. He also taught at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, after which he moved to Connecticut. Among other magazines, his work was published in Playboy, Penthouse, Cosmopolitan and Fortune.

           

He seems to have been most active during the 1960s and '70s when he produced many striking book covers -- especially for science fiction titles. His works that we have seen show strong formal arrangement, as well as a remarkable color sense. They also are groovy and kaleidoscopic; they often feature women subjects. Sadly, just when his reputation was secure, he contracted multiple sclerosis, and is no longer producing art. If you have any information about this talented and underrated man, please contact us!

           

The images shown here are all of Robert Heinlein books published by Signet in 1970, for which Szafran did the covers. We are trying to locate the complete collection of this series, and will scan them to be included here. In the meantime, this is the best we can do.