Print Matters: Media and Modernity in Illustrated Magazines, 1910-1970

This volume presents a nuanced exploration of how illustrated magazines shaped global visual culture between 1910 and 1970.

In the early to mid-twentieth century, the vast majority of printed photographs appeared in the pages of illustrated magazines. Publications such as Life, China Pictorial, Drum, Picture Post, and Ebony did more than showcase photographs; they crafted visual narratives by combining images, text, and graphics into influential cultural artifacts. These periodicals shaped public perception and mass media consensus like the Internet does today, bringing a shared visual experience to homes and newsstands around the world.

The essays in this volume delve into the technologies and visual strategies behind these publications, showing how their layouts were affected by political, commercial, editorial, and artistic factors leading up to World War II. The commentaries also explore how democracy, dictatorships, colonization, and modernity at large gave rise to experimental magazine designs, turning avant-garde art and lifestyle reporting into popular formats. Featuring over 150 images, Print Matters traces how illustrated magazines evolved across countries and continents, offering new insights into their history and enduring impact on culture and society.

Author: Maria Antonella Pelizzari
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Getty Research Institute
Published: 11/11/2025
Series: Issues & Debates
Pages: 336
Weight: 2.42lbs
Size: 10.00h x 6.85w x 1.02d
ISBN: 9798887120003