They’re everywhere–from Coco Mellors to Michel Houellebecq, books with paintings as covers are all the rave.
Ten years ago, the only time we saw paintings adorning jackets were for books set in the past—say, for a historical nonfiction about Napoleon or on the cover of Pride and Prejudice. But these days, professional book cover designers are using contemporary works by modern painters to illustrate everything from cutting-edge thrillers to literary fiction. This shift not only breathes new life into book design but also bridges the gap between classic art and contemporary storytelling, creating covers that are as dynamic and diverse as the stories they encapsulate.
Here are 45 books with paintings as covers.
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (US)
Designer: Jo Thomson
Artist: Gill Button
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (UK)
Designer: Jo Thomson
Artist: Gill Button
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
Designer: Darren Haggar
Artist: Jacques-Louis David
Lapvona by Otessa Moshfegh
Designer: Stephanie Ross
Artist: Francisco de Zurbaran
Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
Designer: Cassie Gonzales
Artist: Anastasia Balabina
Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Designer: Lauren Peters-Collaer
Artist: Lubaina Himid
Mothers by Chris Power
Designer: Grace Han
Artist: let us know
Innards by Magogodi oaMphela Makhene
Designer: let us know
Artist: Kudzanai-Violet Hwami
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Designer: Adalis Martinez
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Designer: Kelly Winton
Worry by Alexandra Tanner
Designer: Alicia Tatone
Artist: Shannon Cartier Lucy
Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham
Designer: Anna Kochman
Artist: let us know
Lucy By The Sea by Elizabeth Strout
Designer: Greg Mollica & Anna Kochman
Artist: Jeremy Miranda
How To Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
The New Life by Tom Crewe
Designer: Jaya Miceli
Artist: Jane Fisher
What Napoleon Could Not Do by DK Nnuro
Designer: Lauren Peters-Collaer
Artist: Amoako Boafo
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
Designer: Natalia Olbinski
Artist: Angela Faustina
Life of the Party by Olivia Gatwood
Designer: Zoe Norvell
Artist: Fabio La Fauci
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors (UK)
Designer: Jo Thomson
Artist: Gill Button
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors (US)
Designer: Jo Thomson
Artist: Gill Button
The End of the World is a Cul De Sac by Louise Kennedy
Designer: Lauren Peters-Collaer
Artist: John Marshall
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
Designer: Jaya Miceli
Artist: Anna Weyant
Commitment by Mona Simpson
Designer: Jenny Carrow
Artist: Lee Heinen
Hysteria by Jessica Gross
Designer: Jaya Nicely
Artist: let us know
Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Designer: let us know
Artist: Jessica Brilli
Beautiful Dreamers by Minrose Gwin
Designer: let us know
Artist:
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
Designer: Christopher Lin
Artist: Alberto Ortega
The Women Behind The Door by Roddy Doyle
Designer: let us know
Artist: Barbara Hoogeweegen
Blood Test by Charles Baxter
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
Misrecognition by Madison Newbound
Designer: Zoe Norvell
Artist: Gérard Schlosser
I Hear You’re Rich by Diane Williams
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird
Designer: let us know
Artist: T.S. Harris
The God of The Woods by Liz Moore
Designer: Grace Han
Artist: Sawrey Gilpin
The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky
Designer: Devin Grosz
Artist: let us know
All Fours by Miranda July
Designer: Helen Yentus
Artist: let us know
The Tradition by Jericho Brown
Designer: Phil Kovacevich
Artist: L. Ralphi Burgess
Servants of the Map by Andrea Barrett
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Designer: Elena Giavaldi
Artist: Daria Gerasimova
I’m F*cking Amazon by Anoushka Warden
Designer: Emily Mahon
Artist: Nancy McKie
The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright
Designer: Kate Sinclair
Artist: Darek Grabus
Oligarchy by Scarlett Thomas
Designer: Kelly Winton
Artist: let us know
My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin
Designer: Nicolette
Artist: let us know
Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq
Designer: Rodrigo Corral Studio
Artist: Henri-Pierre Danloux
Strega by Johanne Lykke Holm
Designer: let us know
Artist: let us know
How to Find the Best Book Cover Designer for Your Project
The “best” book cover artist is subjective and varies according to an author’s specific vision and style preference. However, platforms like the INeedABookCover Job Board have made it easier for authors to find and collaborate with talented, professional designers like the ones listed in this article.
If you’re looking for a professional book cover designer to show you inspiring design options that incorporate modern or classical fine art paintings, post a creative brief on the Jobs Board today! You’ll receive dozens (on average, about 30) replies within the first 24 hours. From there, you can choose your favorite designer to hire. Contact INABC if you have more questions!
For more listicles like this, be sure to check out our Design Devices series to explore other elements commonly used on book covers such as clouds or matches. For our full collection of books with paintings as covers, click the tag “painting” or choose “painting” under STYLE in the filter column of our gallery section.
