The impending release of John Huston's film adaptation of Moby Dick in 1956 renewed interest in this classic tale of Captain Ahab's obsessive hunt for the white whale, presenting Andres with the unique opportunity to illustrate two editions published in that year-- the first for Simon and Shuster's "Golden Stamp Classic" series, and the second as a cover for an economy reprint by Grosset and Dunlap. The former was a part of series of adaptations of literary classics for children printed on newsprint with black and white interior illustrations and full-color adhesive stamps, which the owner affixed to pages within the book, making it a very cheap way of marketing a book with color tipped-in images in addition to the attraction of it as an activity book. A selection from the 48 color paintings and 42 black and white illustrations in brush and ink for this edition appears below. Unfortunately, the originals were never returned to the artist and likely no longer exist.
Ishmael on his way to New Bedford
Ishmael goes a-whaling
Andres made two other covers for the Grosset and Dunlap edition of Moby Dick before the final was approved. The first version was similar to the image of Ahab in the stamp book above. The second, a more haunted Ahab in close-up with eerie eyes, was rejected in favor of the final version of an Ahab whom Andres was directed to make look something like Gregory Peck, yet not so recognizable as to invoke possible copyright problems with Warner Brothers. Andres comically recounted the ignorance of the Dartmouth-educated art director who commissioned this dust jacket: “I want you to do a picture from my favorite book, you know of Moby Dick with the albatross around his neck”(confusing Melville's story with Coleridge's Ancient Mariner). That same art director sent Andres stills of Gregory Peck to help with Ahab's "hairdo."
First version
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