Whether stark or lush, a great book cover design will catch the eye, invite close inspection, spark the imagination, and leave the observer wanting more. And, of course, that “more” can only come from the actual content of the book itself.
Many of the older covers on this list probably wouldn’t be made for today’s market. Even so, you can see how the presence of strong, contrasting graphic elements remains a consistent component of beautiful book design. I would buy any one of these off a bookstore shelf. In some cases, I already have.
A number of the images included in this post are from The Public Domain Review’s “The Art of Book Covers (1820–1914).” For more examples from their collection, click here or on the links provided in the relevant captions. You can also check out more historic and recent covers on my related Pinterest page.