Time on Annigoni

There was once a fine tradition at TIME magazine to commission famous artists of the day to paint the cover portrait. Pietro Annigoni painted many TIME magazine covers including the 'Man of the year' issue featuring John F. Kennedy.

Notes & Quotes From TIME Magazine

OCTOBER 5, 1962 Pope John sketch.
From letter of Publisher, Bernhard Auer

"The sketch on the cover was done from life in the Vatican by Italian Artist Pietro Annigoni (who painted last January's "Man of the Year" cover. The painter's reaction to the Pope: "So nice, so simple, so direct, so close to you. . . and yet so terribly distant. Even the simplest conversation with him ended with a few words putting you in front of Eternity."

JANUARY 5, 1962 Sketch of JFK, "Man of The Year".
From the Publisher

"Time's choice to paint the President on his own seventh appearance on TIME cover, was Italy's famous portrait painter, Pietro Annigoni."

NOVEMBER 1, 1963 - Sketch of Erhard Gerhard.
From the Publisher

"When Italian Portraitist Pietro Annigoni met Germany's new Chancellor, Dr. Erhard said," I have seen some of your paintings of the British Royal Family. And I remember the one you did of President Kennedy. Tell me, how many sittings did they give you? " Annigoni says, "We'll I had 33 with the Queen Mother and just over 20 with Princess Margaret. I was with President Kennedy for nine hours. "Ach, mein Gott," said Gerhard in mock terror. "I hope with me you will work faster. What will you paint of me?" Annigoni responds, "The head and shoulders. " "Good," laughed Erhard. "The rest of me is not so interesting so paintable. "Annigoni had 4, 1 hour sittings with Erhard for this week's cover, painting for 10 minutes at a stretch, then letting Erhard rest for five. Erhard asked if he might read and smoke during the sitting and was told please no. But he grunted a jovial approval of the final portrait."