Angels in Glass, Fortune Magazine

This December 1940 Fortune magazine cover transforms the publication's masthead into a medieval vision of moral reckoning. Rendered in the style of Gothic stained glass, the composition presents four angels against a deep cobalt sky, their wings and robes fragmented by dark leading lines that evoke cathedral windows. The central figure gazes heavenward while below, another angel holds the scales of justice over a landscape of devastation: ruined buildings, bare trees, and scorched earth. The timing is everything. As this issue reached American subscribers, London endured nightly bombing raids, France had fallen, and the question of intervention dominated national debate. The imagery speaks directly to that moment of moral calculation, weighing destruction against inaction, justice against isolationism. Signed 'Nicolas' in the lower left, the cover exemplifies Fortune's commitment to commissioning thoughtful, artistically ambitious work even for its commercial pages. The jewel-tone palette of crimson, gold, and olive against that luminous blue creates a piece that functions both as period document and as a meditation on conscience in wartime. A significant example of editorial illustration at a pivotal historical moment. Size: 13.75" x 11.0" Artist: Joep Nicolas Condition: Good, * Please note that this listing is for the cover artwork, and not the magazine as a whole. Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some covers may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's photo to get a better understanding of the condition.