Cipe Pineles was a pioneering design artist of the 20th

century. She made great progress in a field where women

were often looked down upon and cast out. Her career as
an art director, illustrator and graphic designer lead her to
work for publications like Vogue, Seventeen and Charm,
among others. Her signature style helped define these
iconic brands into how we recognize them today.
Looking back at her progress over the years, it is intriguing
to hypothesize on what aspects of her surroundings had
an influence on her various design choices and artistic
decisions. Although her name might not be known widely
by this generation, the impact she left on the world of art
and design is still noticeable through the iconic brands she
worked on during her established career.

1.
 Foreword
After doing a quick search of the name “Cipe Pineles” before One thing I do find interesting and possibly problematic about my love
starting this project, I was immediately captivated by both her of Cipes design work is how dependent it is on its place in time.
beautifully designed magazine covers and her colorful food I find myself enjoying a lot of her work simply because it looks vintage,
illustrations. Knowing little about her, I began to look through the and am often unable to take it out of this context. The nature of her
different projects and publications she had worked on during her work as something being only exciting to me because I associate it
career. One thing that most stuck out to me was the duality in the so strongly with its history is something I am fearful of. I wonder if her
types of work she produced. I immediately felt a kinship in her interest methods were used in the present day, how effective they would have
in both illustration and graphic design. I personally found a lot of been. The main thing pulling me out of this is the knowledge that a lot
similarities between her illustration style and choice of subject matter of the strategies she was using might seem overused now but were
to that of my own. I first was puzzled by how she was able to seemingly unheard of at the time she was creating them. I think that when I pair
switch between her different styles so fluidly but later realized I was down her pieces to the basics, a lot of what she is doing would even
going through the same thing in my journey. The more I learned about seem revolutionary today.
her life and process, the more I found myself understanding how she
ended up as both a super successful art director for major magazine
publications and a humble illustrator. Overall, I find myself endlessly drawn to the works Cipe created
throughout her lifetime. Whether they be her personable illustrations
or her skill translated into the commercial design world of magazine
Even when Cipe was not using her own illustrations, she found publishing, Cipe never ceases to make interesting design choices that
places to include the work of other illustrators when working on are always appropriate and well attuned towards her audience.
publication design. Despite photography being the norm due to its
low cost and quicker production, Cipe chose to use illustrative art
whenever possible. I found that my own position and both an artist
and designer made me especially attracted to these designs. They
add something to the page that my eye finds more pleasing than if a
photo was used in its place. However she does not simply place an
illustration on a page. She uses it in conjunction with other elements
like type and photography. A lot of her spreads feel almost like a
collage in this way, with the focus being more on the overall
composition rather than the individual elements. I find collaging to
be an interesting and underutilized aspect in design and find she
does a great job of incorporating it.

2. 3.
 EarLy
Cipe was born in Vienna on June 23, 1908. She
lived with her Mother and Father, and was the
fourth of five children. She spent a lot of her early
years in Poland where she was likely influenced
by the folk culture and food that would later be
the object of many of her personal illustrations.
When Poland was invaded by the Russian Red
army shortly after the beginning of World War I,
Cipe, along with her mother and sisters, began
the slow journey towards the United States
(Pineles et al, 22). She and her sisters were able
to begin learning English ahead of time by mem-
orizing a copy of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas
Carol”(Pineles et al, 23). This allowed them to
get a head start on their transition to living life in
a strange and unfamiliar country. Her Father had
to stay behind for a time due to frequent illness
related to his diabetes, however this did not
discourage Cipe from making the most of her
new life in America.
4.
L iFe
Cipe had a noticeable affinity for all things creative from a
young age. In high school, she even won an essay contest
held by the Atlantic Monthly magazine (Pineles et al, 23).
The essay was about her personal experience seeing Poland
transition into a tumultuous place as the beginning of the
war set in around her and her family. Despite the hardships
she faced, she was well known and well liked among her
peers. As a perpetual kind presence in school she was even
voted the “best natured member” by her graduating class
(Pineles et al, 24). Towards the end of her journey in high
school, Cipe ended up winning an art scholarship which
helped cover the costs of her first year at the Pratt Institute.
Located not far from where she lived in Brooklyn, the Pratt
Institute was likely an ever present figure in her upbringing.
A school that was associated with turning hopeful artists into
career successes with just a few extra years of education.
Now, without any doubt in her mind, Cipe was able to begin
taking important steps in her education that would shape
her into the strong and renowned artist she was meant to
be.
5.
Eastern Europe
Although Cipe was born in Vienna, the majority of her
childhood was lived in Poland. Some of her earliest
memories are of her and her older siblings enjoying the
natural environment that surrounded them in eastern Europe
(Hawkins). These core memories that she held onto were
likely an influence on her later work. Her Eastern European
upbringing was definitely a key factor in her posthumously
published project “Leave me alone with the recipes”
however it also was likely a large factor in her illustrative food Cipe and her
sisters circa
depictions and even the later design choices she made to
1915
hand letter many headlines when she was working for major
magazine publications like Vogue and Seventeen.

The rise of antisemitism in Poland and neighboring
countries was likely a factor in the decision that was made
by Cipe and her family to emigrate to America in the 1920’s,
but the rise of nationalism in newly independent Poland at
the time was also a probable cause (Facing History). This
transition from one continent to another definitely factored
into a lot of Cipe’s choice of personal expression. She had
experienced the more folksy old-fashioned design styles
prominent in Poland in the early 20th century. Although
most explicitly seen in her illustrations, this influence
stayed with her throughout her career and even guided
her magazine design choices.
At this point in history there was also a lot of inner conflict between
those who were European (mainly German or Austrian) and those who
were Jewish. Although the intersection between these groups was
quite large, it did not stop those who were contained within it to feel
extremely left out and oppressed by their home nations. Since Cipe
and her family fell into this category, it is quite plausible that this
turmoil was somewhat quelled by her move to America. In New York
City at the time of her arrival, being an immigrant was the status quo.
She was now surrounded by thousands of people all in the same
position as her, which in itself was probably comforting. Although she
definitely faced adversity at times, her new life in the United States
allowed her a hopeful and fresh start.

6. 7.
 Studies
During her first year at the Pratt Institute of Art in New York City, Cipe
was able to explore her artistic interests without posing any financial
strain or burden on her family. Her scholarship enabled her to avoid
thinking immediately about finding a husband to settle down with. At
this point in time, the idea of an independent working woman was not
something that was thought of as an option by most. If it had not been
for Cipe’s older brother who emphasized the importance of her
education and need to make her own living, she might not have not
taken the steps to further her independence (Pineles et al, 25).

At Pratt she spent most of her time furthering her

illustration abilities. Her love of food and cooking was
seen clearly in her portfolio. The pages were strewn with
a surplus of gouache and watercolor depictions of food
(Pineles et al, 27). These types of illustrations were her first
love and although sheeventually took a very different path
in the art world, she never entirely stopped creating these
vivid pieces.

The atmosphere in New York City at the time of her

education was filled with artistic fervor. Although it is
impossible to judge exactly what inspired Cipe during
her first few years at art school, it is likely that she was
influenced by the city and its various artistic and cultural
surroundings. Living and learning in an environment with
other creatives definitely helped spur her to create pieces
that were new and different in comparison to what she had
done in the past. By the end of her time at Pratt, she was a
woman in love with both art and the bustling city that had
been her home for this new chapter in her life.

8. 9.
 GL aS S CEiL I NG
At the time of her graduation, Cipe was a hopeful
illustrator and designer hoping to break into the
industry. Her foreign name worked both for and
against her as she struggled to gain meaningful
employment (Hawkins). Initially, because her
name was not easily recognizable as either
male or female due to its unfamiliar nature, the
majority of employers assumed she was male
and would then hire or decide on an in person
interview after viewing her portfolio and
credentials. Upon realizing that she was a
woman, more often than not they would decide
against hiring her. This sexist judgment seems
quite outrageous to modern artists and
designers, however it was not particularly
uncommon or even looked down upon at the
time. Cipe spent many years after graduation
trying to find a permanent job that would ignore
the fact that she was a woman and one that
would offer her a fairly paid position in an
industry that was typically run by men.
10.
After dealing with a series of sexist employers
that either refused to pay her fairly or even hire
her at all, she eventually broke through the glass
ceiling. In 1931 she began working for the
publication Contempura (Munafo). This
publication focused on the modern woman and
allowed Cipe a level of freedom in her design
choices that had previously never been offered to
her. Her early artistic freedom on these articles
gave her a more beneficial approach to design
and a lot of her choices at that time were seen
throughout the rest of her career and are even
considered breakthrough achievements at the
time. One such aspect that she introduced was
her love for hand lettering. This type of design
choice was mostly frowned upon during this
period but under her touch was revered and even
considered modern. Her choice to use this in her
spreads was likely related to the folk influences
she gained as a child growing up in eastern
Europe.
11.
 Despite her similar skill level and career, she was mostly an unknown compared
to him. This patriarchal shadow hanging over her never caused jealousy; if
anything, it furthered her commitment and devotion to her craft. They had one
child together named Thomas (Scotford). Although initially against the idea of
marriage, their union allowed them to work with each other and collaborate on
several projects that otherwise would have never come to fruition. The
perspective they gained from working together allowed them to both work harder
in careers that often were considered too cut-throat or exclusionist to allow for
any form of collaboration.

William Golden
In 1938 Cipe Peniles married William Golden, the prominent artist and designer.
Although her initial opinion of marriage was negligible, it is clear that eventually
she found someone who felt more to her than simply a husband, but someone
who also functioned as a second half to her whole. William Golden was a famous
graphic designer who is currently best known for his design of the CBS logo (fig.
1) that is still in use today (Scotford). His main goal in the majority of his design
endeavors was to simplify whatever he was working on to be as abstract as Fig 1.
possible. This allowed his design to speak for itself without relying too heavily on
outside decorative additions. Although he was a few years younger than Cipe, he
was a much more prominent figure in the New York City design scene at the time
they married. Their marriage lasted until his death in 1959 (Scotford). Their time
together was clearly an influence on her creative output and she even published
a book titled “The Visual Craft of William Golden” (fig. 2) that focused on his art
career (Scotford). Fig 2.

12. 13.
 Vogue
After working for Contempura for a time, she was hired by Vogue in During her time at Vogue, World War II broke out. Although mostly
1932 to work as a graphic designer for a variety of articles and unaffected by the war, Cipe and the rest of the design world still had
projects (Hawkins). Her work here was spread between both her to make some adjustments in their practice. One such difference
current home of New York City and even led her to England for a that had to be accounted for was the sense of seriousness that had
period of time. Here she flexed her artistic muscles to create iconic drenched the world. It seemed that in wartime there was less room for
magazine covers and spreads that showcased her unique abilities to color and fun. This change in global mood had to be reflected in the
incorporate both traditional design methods and more intricate and design world and forced Cipe to go against her typical, more
personal creative flourishes. She got this job after meeting Conde lighthearted style. Although this seemed like a bad thing, this type of
Nast at a party hosted by Contempura, her employer at the time. After forced constraint allowed her to branch out from what she would have
Nast took interest in her she was hired by him and began to work normally created (Type Magazine).
under Dr. Mehemed Fehmy Agha (Hugill-Fontanel). He was an intense
boss and was always having Cipe redo a certain piece of work until he
was satisfied. Despite his toughness, he was constantly explaining the
importance of viewing art in the real world and would encourage Cipe
and his other employees to visit art galleries whenever they could. This
“When the war broke
level of intensity helped to push Cipe’s abilities to the next level and
allowed her to more easily create works that were a lot different than out...the pages became
what she had been comfortable creating in the past. more restrained.
The use of the same
typeface throughout
the major section of
editorial pages became
fashionable. In a
period of austerity,
anything else might
have been offensive.”

14. 15.
While working for major publications like Vogue and Seven-
teen, Cipe had the opportunity to work on a variety of maga-
zine covers and spreads that are still astounding today. De-
spite the rigidity associated with the design industry when
compared with illustration, Cipe still found the opportunity
to make things her own. One thing that she carried over was
her use of hand lettering. When looking back at some of the
covers she created (Fig 2) you can clearly see her handwrit-
ing used proudly. I find it so engaging to see a script that
is actually handwritten and not just a font. It seems much
more human than a lot of the modern script fonts that end
up feeling cold in their regularity.
She continues to use type in interesting ways like using it as
a texture or using images to shape words (Fig 3). The use of
type as a background texture shows that Cipe is thinking
beyond the utilitarian purpose of type as a means to
communicate, but as something that has a physical form
to be used as a component in the design. She subverts the
traditional idea of what type can be and does it well.
Besides this she also found ways to make letters out of
everyday objects. On a cover for Vogue from the late 1930’s
she used a bunch of pieces of jewelry to form the magazine
title (Fig 4). This not only acts as the title but also as a
reminder of what Vogue stands for: fashion. This specific
cover also features a black background that makes the
metal and gems really shine. A black background can often
seem like an easy way out for a designer trying to make
something look sophisticated. However, Cipe uses it as a
tool to better accentuate the depictive title she has created.
The cover also features a woman’s profile and a set of
crossed hands, both of which are floating in the lower right
corner. This is a rare instance for a magazine cover to have
the title of the magazine be the main focus of the page
rather than the person on it. Overall, this cover encourages
me to think about the potential to think outside the box
when it comes to everyone of my future design choices.

16. 17.
 Editors around Dr. Agha’s
desk (circa 1940)

18. 19.
Glamour (1942)
Her next step in the design world was Glamour
magazine. This publication was aimed at those
who were a fan of the designs in Vogue but were
unable to afford them. She was granted this
position by Conde Nast who was also in charge of
Vogue and had overseen her work for a long time.
He believed that since Glamour was essentially
a lower quality version of Vogue, the design work
20.
done for the magazine should also be lower
quality (Hawkins). Cipe strongly disagreed with
this. She believed that her audience was just as
worthy and capable of a well designed magazine
as those who read Vogue. Since this was her first
role as art designer, she used this total freedom
to show the importance of refining a design to be
as perfect as possible (Munafo).
Seventeen (1947)
Cipe began working for Seventeen magazine in
1947, not long after its establishment. This
magazine was dedicated to teenage girls but
treated them as smart and independent, unlike
the way other publishers treated them
(Hugill-Fontanel). She worked as the art director
there until 1950, and despite this short amount
of time she was still able to implement a lot of
practices that helped shape the magazine into
the iconic brand it is today. One thing she began
was the art and illustration program within each
edition of Seventeen magazine which allowed
her readers to be exposed to art in a way that
other publications would not have thought to do
(Munafo). Her early work as an illustrator was
a likely motivator for her idea to start doing this
project. She ended up getting famous artists like
Andy Warhol and Ben Shahn to contribute works
of art to featured in the magazine (Strizver). Cipe
considered her time at Seventeen to be one of
the most enjoyable working experiences of her
career. She explained that this was due to the
level of creative freedom she was given and
also the more engaging and intellectual articles
that were an inherent part of Seventeen’s brand
(Hawkins). 21.
 After working at Seventeen for a while, Cipe was offered the chance to work for
Charm magazine. Charm proclaimed itself as “the magazine for women who
work” (Hugill-Fontanel). As a working woman herself, the decision to work for this
publication was a no-brainer for Cipe. She even claimed that this was “the first
feminist magazine” (Scotford). She was able to once again add life and interest
to a publication that helped set their brand apart from others while still staying
interesting and relevant for readers.

Cipe and Will

Burtin at work
circa 1965
Will Burtin
Following the death of her husband William Golden in 1959, Cipe eventually
found herself engaged to Will Burtin, an old family friend and fellow European
immigrant. They were both relevantly new to the country and found a similarity
in each other that was rare, especially considering Cipe’s happy but shortened
marriage to another “Will”, William Golden. Burtin had only recently come to the
states in 1939 after fleeing Nazi Germany. At the time he was married to a
Jewish woman, Hilde Burtin, and the Nazi party was trying to get him to do
design work for them as well as divorce her (Scotford). He eventually made the
decision to move himself and his family to America. During the war he was
commissioned to work on a series of manuals for the U.S. government. This
allowed him to fight against the oppressive forces he had left in Europe while
also using his skills as a designer. In 1942 he and his wife had a daughter
named Carol. He then continued his work as a graphic designer and commercial
artist for several companies. In 1960 his wife Hilde died of cancer and a year
later he was married to Cipe. After his death in 1972, Cipe adopted his daughter
in a show of love and appreciation for him (Pineles et al, 13).

22. 23.
Later Life
Parsons
After working in the design industry for roughly 30
years, Cipe decided to share her talents with the
next generation of artists. She began teaching
at Parsons in 1963 and went on to create award
winning work with her students (Hugill-Fontanel).
Her graphic design work at this time started
to resemble much more modern pieces that
showcased her neverending ability to adapt and
change with the times. An example of this was
the Parsons Bread Book. This book showcased
the work of her and her students all within the
theme of New York bakeries. The dynamic
typographic cover was drawn from a sketch made
by Cipe. The style she employed of various
typefaces in different sizes seamlessly filling
After a long and impactful
both the front and back cover is something that
looks as if it could be made today despite it being life, Cipe died at the age of
roughly 50 years old. 82 on January 3rd 1991
(Scotford). She left behind
her son Thomas and her
adopted daughter Carol.

Awards
Over the course of Cipe’s career she was presented with
many awards. The most recognizable of these was her
acceptance into the prestigious Art Directors Club in 1943
(Scotford). At the time, she was the first female artist who
was allowed into the club. In 1975 she also became the
first woman inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame.
This was yet another example of Cipe breaking into a
workforce that had not been very accepting or
accommodating for women. Her skills and talents also
led her to posthumously receive the AIGA award in 1996
(Hugill-Fontanel). These recognitions of her work were finally
a way for Cipe to be recognized on a greater scale by her
mentors, peers, and friends.

24. 25.
 Throughout the course of her life, Cipe’s love of both food
and illustration never left her. Although most of these
illustrations were not found until long after her death, Cipe
worked on a series of illustrated recipes that she shared
with her closest family and friends. These recipes were later
found and turned into a book titled “Leave Me Alone With
the Recipes”. Only just recently published in 2017, these
illustrations showcase a large amount of her work as well as
her culture. The book itself also features a series of short
essays by several artists who have long loved Cipe and the
work she created. The majority of the dishes illustrated in
this book were specifically common among Jewish Eastern
Europeans. Even her signature gouache stylizations seem
reminiscent of a folk culture that is mainly found within
Eastern Europe, specifically that of Poland where she
grew up. A lot of the meals included, like Fishkalacha and
Bulbenick, were staples in her life and culture but are not
as common today (Pineleset al, 88 and 97). By publishing
these illustrations it not only introduces a new generation to
the works of Cipe but also to the food that was part of her
everyday life.

26. 27.
 Her personal project, “Leave Me Alone with the Recipes”
that has recently been posthumously published, features
vivid illustrated recipes of Eastern European dishes that
her mother would make for her. The way she combines her
gouache illustrations with her own hand lettering
immediately fills you with a sense of familiarity to Cipe. It
feels like a perfectly curated family cookbook, something
that would be lovingly held onto and passed on to each
coming generation. In each recipe, no matter how dull the
ingredients required to make it, she paints vibrant pictures
that seem too pretty to eat. Even when she is only painting
the utensils used in cooking the dish, the way she renders
them is playful and inviting. The whole thing feels more like
a children’s book than a means of reading a recipe.
When looking further at her illustration in this book, I am
struck by how much character she incorporates in each
image. Her style in no way strives towards realism. It is
purposefully flat in places and utilizes the natural texture of
the gouache to give the food a lighter and more appetizing
appearance. This is contrasted with her flowing black script
that playfully lists the ingredients and steps in the making
of the recipe. Although often imperfect, it is always legible.
This gives the impression of a personal family cookbook
without making it inaccessible to the modern audience. This
use of hand lettering is something she also included in her
commercial art designs.

Despite the sense of tradition and age poured into this

cookbook, the style of the illustrations is something
seemingly modern. If I had found a piece of her work out
of context I would have automatically assumed it had been
made within the past five years. It somehow is able to
capture the essence of her Eastern European upbringing
as well as that of a work from the present day. One example
that I was most struck by was the gouache painting she
included that depicts what I can only imagine as various
garden herbs (Fig 1). The one difference between this piece
and her others in the book is that this one has no labels. “Leave Me Alone With
It does not feature her signature handwritten script that is the Recipes” published
used in the rest of her illustrations. She likely assumed her in 2017
viewer at the time would be a somewhat well learned cook
who could easily identify the difference between Parsley
and Basil. This also encourages the viewer, myself included,
to think about the type of person Cipe was outside of the
design office.

28. 29.

After reflecting on the various events and facets of Cipe
Pineles’s life, it is clear that she was a very successful
woman who was not only respected in her profession, but
well liked by all those she came in contact with. Whether
through her playful illustrations of food or her sophisticated
designs for magazines, her artistic legacy is something that
we can still see the echoes of in the present. Her humble
beginnings as a child in post war Europe to her future
illustrious career in the magazine industry all help form the
image of Cipe that is best known by us today.
30.
Works Cited
Facing History and Ourselves, “Jewish Life in Poland Before the Holocaust,” last
updated May 12, 2020. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/jew-
ish-life-poland-holocaust
Hawkins, Rachel. “Cipe Pineles.” NC State University, 2018, https://go.distance.
ncsu.edu/gd203/?p=24853
Hugill-Fontanel, Amelia. “Cipe the Prototype.” Type Magazine, 2018, https://
www.typemag.org/post/cipe-the-prototype
Munafo, Nick. “Cipe Pineles defining Glamour via Graphic Design.” The Comp
Magazine, 2021, https://www.thecompmagazine.com/cipe-pineles-defin-
ing-glamour-via-graphic-design/
Pineles, Cipe. “The Chemise in Typography (1958).” Type Magazine, 2018,
https://www.typemag.org/post/the-chemise-in-typography
Pineles, Cipe et al. “Leave me Alone With the Recipes.” Bloomsbury USA, 2017
Scotford, Martha. “The Tenth Pioneer.” Eye Magazine, 1995, https://www.
eyemagazine.com/feature/article/the-tenth-pioneer
Strizver, Ilene. “The Illustrious and Illustrative World of Cipe Pineles.” Creative
Pro, 2019, https://creativepro.com/the-illustrious-illustrative-world-of-cipe-pine-
les/