VINTAGE SPANISH BOOK COVERS

Discover original works of the Spanish pulp fiction book art revolution

This website brings together original artworks by some of Spain’s leading book illustrators from The Bruguera Archive, made in the ‘60s for pulp fiction novels.

THE STUDIO

In the ‘60s, in a studio in a quiet alleyway in the affluent area of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi in north-west Barcelona, a group of talented young artists were working for Creaciones Editoriales, the art department of Editorial Bruguera.

Bruguera was a monolith of popular fiction publishing that was active from 1910 to 1986. At the time, Bruguera was publishing several popular series, including As de Corazones (1960-67, 326 titles), Celia (1960-70, 430 titles), and Sissi (1959-63, 214 titles) in the romance genre; Calibre 44 (1964-67, 73 titles) and Bisonte (1954-64, 485 titles) in Western, Punto Rojo and Sospecha (1965-68, 73 titles) in crime, Linea de Fuego (Line of Fire, 1965-67, 44 titles) in war, and Can Can (1958-60, 128 titles) in women’s fiction.

The artists painted original pieces that were reproduced as book covers, not just by Bruguera, but by publishers throughout Europe. With the dawn of digital technology, publishing houses stopped commissioning original artworks for book cover design. The Bruguera Archive puts a spotlight on a movement in Spanish book art through stunning original works that are no longer produced.

In the 1960s, the paintings were a first impression of the stories they encased; today, they tell the story of the golden age of Spanish comic and book art.

THE ARTISTS

The Creaciones Editoriales artists dipped their paintbrushes into London’s Swinging Sixties culture and created a vibrant new style that soon adorned ‘60s pulp fiction across Europe.

Pioneers of the movement included Bosch Penalva, Carlos Frexias, and the brothers Enrique and Jorge Badia Romero. Many of the artists had an education in fine art and worked on books of various genres.

Collectively, along with competing agencies across Barcelona, the artists developed a unique Spanish style that was highly sought after. Many of them went on to become renowned painters producing original art beyond book covers.

The Creaciones Editoriales artists included:

Badía Camps (Àngel Badía Camps, 1929-2019)
Bernal (Antonio Bernal Romero, 1924-2013)
Bosch Penalva (Antonio Bosch Penalva, 1925)
Cortiella (Rafael Cortiella Juancomartí, 1931-2019)
Garcia (Antonio Garcia 1932 – 2012)
Lozano (Desiderio Babiano Lozano, 1909-1985)
Badia Romero (Jorge Badia Romero, 1938-1984)
Vincente Roso (Vincente Roso Mengual, 1920-1996)
Schöller (Albert Pujolar Soler, 1938)
Tam (J. Sebastián Tamarit, b. 1925)
Carlos Freixas (Carlos Freixas Baleitó, 1923-2003)
Emilio Freixas (Emilio Freixas Baleitó, 1935-2017)

Antonio Garcia 1932 – 2012

Lozano (1909 – 1985)

The Bruguera Archive

The original works featured in The Bruguera Archive are of placard or gouache paint, ink and pencil. They tell the dramatic stories of romance, crime, war, Western and women’s fiction, giving readers a glimpse of the excitement they were looking for in the books. The artists’ decorative style became particularly popular for romance books; for many years, romance book covers were by Spanish artists – not just in Spain, but in the UK and across Europe.

The books promised readers an escape from reality, and the covers were their glorious door to that escape. Titles like Esclavo de un Recelo (Slave of Suspicion), Amor en las Tinieblas (Love in the Dark), and Espuelas de Muerte (Spurs of Death) demanded cover art that was enticing, thrilling and passionate.

For Senda de Dolor (Path of Pain), the artist depicts a woman gazing out of her prison cell, her hands wrapped tightly around the bars, as the faded image of her husband and child haunt her thoughts. For Mi Encantadora Impostera (My Charming Imposter), a woman’s vivid red nails, lips and hat stand out against the grey London skyline, and attract the adoring gaze of her mystery man.