Lurid

Today I want to introduce you to the wonderful world of lurid paperback cover art.

Lurid paperback covers reached their heyday in the 40's and 50's, and then disappeared. Today they exist only as collector's items.

They disappeared around the same time that any respect for organized art disappeared and in fact represent the last time art (painting) was accepted on a large scale by the general public in a popular medium. It didn't matter, at the time, whether you were a "serious" author or a hack novice, your novel would have had a lurid painting on the cover.

In a way, lurid illustration is reminiscent of the Romantic period in art history - a time when bright bold colours and wild - often sexual - activity dominated.

Romanticism, has always been defined by its emotional nature, as opposed to the "cool rationalism" of classicism. But as author and philosopher, Ayn Rаnd, pointed out, the emotional nature of romanticism is not its most essential aspect. On a deeper level it always involves values, since no one would ever get worked up emotionally if they had no values to pursue, or lose.

Romanticism, in fact, is the art of reason. It is the result of man's power of volition, his ability to reason and choose his values for himself, including the possibility for him to choose poorly, and it pictures for us the circus of clashing possibilities that can result.

Classicism, on the other hand, usually defined by its reasonable nature, sought to achieve beauty through formulization and memorized rules of morality, where no choice - and therefore no values - were possible. In the name of reason and morality then, classicism - ironically - forbade them.

Unfortunately, because of its misdefinition as an emotional form of art, and its rejection of "reason", romanticism rejected the clean, crisp realism of classicism for more "free" forms of expression, which historically led to the breakdown and extinction of modern art.

Lurid paperback covers, however, brought it back. They reunited the valid aspects of romanticism and classicism; combined romance and realism; and, for a short time, resussitated the popularity of painting.

Here's a link to the best "lurid" website I've found: "Lυrіd Pаpеrbаck of the Week"