Nine Wonderful Coby Whitmore Cosmopolitan Covers from the 40s and 50s

Maxwell Coburn (Coby) Whitmore (1913-1988) was one of the great American illustrators in the mid-20th century – perhaps the golden age of illustration.

He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of fame in 1978 who described him as: “a dashing fellow” and “a child’s delight in all things. A man of genuine humility, he seems truly not to know how good he is”.

Working for magazines such as ‘The Ladies Home Journal’, ‘Good Housekeeping’, ‘McCalls’ and as can be seen here ‘Cosmopolitan’, Whitmore was one of a group of illustrators who’s work seemed to encapsulate the aspirational and seductive post-war ‘American Dream’ lifestyle.

 

Cosmopolitan, Februay 1949.

Cosmopolitan, Februay 1949.

 

Cosmopolitan, April 1947.

Cosmopolitan, April 1947.

 

Illustration in Cosmopolitan, February 1952.

Illustration in Cosmopolitan, February 1952.

Cosmopolitan, July 1947.

Cosmopolitan, July 1947.

 

Cosmopolitan, January 1948.

Cosmopolitan, January 1948.

 

Cosmopolitan, February 1948.

Cosmopolitan, February 1948.

 

Cosmopolitan, November 1949.

Cosmopolitan, November 1949.

Cosmopolitan, September 1948.

Cosmopolitan, September 1948.

 

Cosmopolitan, May 1947.

Cosmopolitan, May 1947.

 

Illustration by Coby Whitmore in Cosmopolitan July 1948.

Illustration by Coby Whitmore in Cosmopolitan July 1948.

 

Cosmopolitan May 1951 Coby Whitmore

Illustration in Cosmopolitan May 1951 Coby Whitmore

 

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