1 album cover in our archive
Patti Smith is featured in Behind the Covers' archive with 1 album cover from the 1970s. Released on Arista, the artwork sits in the rock, punk tradition. Each cover is documented in our archive with design notes covering photography, portrait, androgynous, iconic, mapplethorpe. Below you'll find the full story behind each Patti Smith cover — designers, photographers, label history, and the visual choices that defined the release.
Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph of Smith — jacket over shoulder, no makeup, androgynous confidence — demolished gendered expectations for female musicians. It has been called the greatest rock and roll portrait ever taken.
