Original Book Artist Dies

Napoleon Plural

Couldn't not have a thread devoted to this in the literary section.

Richard Chopping has died aged 91. He did the covers for the original Fleming hardback books. Very distinctive they were, too, perhaps as important as the Beatle album covers in their own way. Although most Bond paperbacks had great covers too.

Here's something about it on mi6:

http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?itemid=6153

I liked the Thunderball one with the skeletal hand best.

Golrush007

Yeah, heard about it this morning. His covers certainly were great, although that Mi6 article does have some interesting stuff about the relationship between Fleming and Chopping. I didn't realise that Chopping actually didn't like Fleming or Bond. Nonetheless, the covers remain as a testament to a very good artist.

My favourite Chopping cover is FRWL!

MrsDalloway

Sad news indeed, I always enjoy Chopping-covered versions of the novels so much more than others; they add much to the flavour of the experience. So much so that I invested in the entire reprinted set of hardbacks a few years back, complete with all the beautiful dust jackets and slip covers.

I was hoping for a Chopping cover on the new Faulks novel, but I suppose at 91 it might have been too much to ask.

Did the early Gardner novels have genuine Chopping covers, or were they a pastiche?

Golrush007

At 91, the man had a good innings.

As for the Gardner books: Licence Renewed had a Richard Chopping painting on the cover. The subsequent Chopping-style covers were by other artists: Bill Botten and Trevor Scobie

Hardyboy

What amazes me is that Chopping could be so detailed using watercolors. A real innovator.

scaramanga1

Hardyboy wrote:

What amazes me is that Chopping could be so detailed using watercolors. A real innovator.

Definitely. His covers were indeed excellent -and more importantly he had his own style. RIP and thanks for providing the covers and sharing your talent.